GIFT  OF 
A.   P.   Morrison 


Rabbits,  Cats  and  Cavies 


a 


ALL    RIGHTS    RESERVED 


RABBITS    CATS 


AND 


CAVIES 


DESCRIPTIVE  SKETCHES  OF  ALL 

RECOGNISED    EXHIBITION   VARIETIES 

WITH  MANY  ORIGINAL  ANECDOTES 


BY 

C.  H.  LANE,  RZ.S 

AUTHOR  OF  "ALL  ABOUT  DOGS,"  ETC. 


WITH    OVER    100   ILLUSTRATIONS    FROM    LIFE    STUDIES 
OF    PRIZE   WINNERS 

BY 

ROSA  BEBB 


NEW  YORK 
E.  P.  DUTTON  AND  COMPANY 

31  WEST  TWENTY-THIRD  STREET 
1903 


QIBT  OF 


TO 

HARRISON   WEIR,   F.R.H.S. 

WHO,    BY    PEN    AND    PENCIL,    HAS    DONE    SO    MUCH    DURING 
THE     LAST     HALF     CENTURY     TO     INCULCATE    A    LOVE 
OF   ANIMAL    LIFE,    THIS    BOOK    IS    MOST   RESPECT- 
FULLY   DEDICATED    BY    THE    AUTHOR.        MAY 
HE    LONG    CONTINUE    THE    USEFUL    AND 
BENEFICENT     WORK     WHICH     HAS 
AFFORDED    PLEASURE    TO 
SO    MANY. 


M94383 


PREFACE 

HAVING  been  from  his  earliest  remembrance  a  lover  and  fancier 
of  many  kinds  of  pet  animals,  the  subjects  treated  of  in  these 
pages  have  been  the  most  numerous  and  perhaps  excepting 
dogs  only,  by  far  the  most  interesting,  in  the  writer's  possession. 

As  in  the  several  capacities  of  breeder,  exhibitor  and 
occasional  judge,  great  numbers  of  these  little  animals  have 
come  under  the  writer's  notice,  some  detailed  descriptions  of 
the  several  varieties  with  particulars  of  the  standards  of 
perfection  to  be  aimed  at  by  breeders  may  be  useful  to  the 
increasing  number  of  persons  of  both  sexes,  and  in  all  ranks  of 
life,  forming  the  exhibiting  public. 

For  this  purpose  the  writer  has  drawn  upon  a  life-long 
experience,  introducing  many  original  and  other  anecdotes 
which  may  be  of  interest  to  his  readers. 

The  illustrations  have  all  been  made  specially  from  life  studies 
for  this  work,  and  executed  by  a  skilful  and  sympathetic  artist, 
who  is  fortunately  also  a  fancier,  and  has  taken  the  keenest 
interest  in  the  subject. 

It  is  believed  that  such  a  collection  of  portraits  of  high-class 


Vll 


viii  PREFACE 

and  typical  specimens  has  never  before  appeared  in  any  one  book 
on  the  subject,  and  it  is  hoped  these  illustrations  may  assist  the 
readers  in  appreciating  the  points  of  the  several  varieties  depicted. 
The  opinions  herein  expressed  are  almost  without  exception 
the  writer's.  They  have  been  formed  by  practical  and  dearly- 
bought  experience,  as  in  all  transactions,  whether  of  breeding, 
buying,  selling  or  judging,  he  has  made  it  a  rule  to  rely  on 
his  own  judgment,  so  that  no  one  else  is  responsible  for  any 
mistakes  made,  nor  thanks  due  to  others  for  successes  attained. 


CONTENTS 

:HAP.  . 

PREFACE  ......          vn 

RABBITS 
i.  INTRODUCTORY  ......  3 

n.  The  Lop  ......         21 

in.  The  Belgian  Hare         .  .  .  .  .         3° 

iv.  Standard  of  Excellence  for  the  Heavy  Weight  Belgian 

Hare          ......         41 

v.  The  Black  and  Tan  Rabbit       .  .  .  .48 

vi.  The  Patagonian  Rabbit  .  .  -53 

vii.  The  Japanese  Rabbit    ...  .58 

vin.  The  Polish  Rabbit        .....          62 

ix.  The  Siberian  Rabbit     .  .  68 

x.  The  Flemish  Giant  Rabbit        .  .  72 

xi.  The  Himalayan  Rabbit  .  .  .  -77 

xii.  The  Dutch  Rabbit       .  .  .         83 

xin.  The  Angora  Rabbit      .  ,  .  . 

xiv.  The  English  Rabbit      .....         93 

xv.  The  Silver  Grey  Rabbit  .  .  •         98 

xvi.  The  Silver  Fawn  or  Cream  Rabbit        .  .  .108 

xvn.  The  Silver  Brown  Rabbit          .  .  1 1 3 

xvm.  Concluding  Remarks  on  Rabbits  .  .  .118 

CATS 

xix.  LONG-HAIRED — White  Cat  .  .  .  .131 

Black  Cat  .  .  .  134 

Blue  Cat  .  137 

Cream  Cat  .139 

xx.  LONG-HAIRED — Chinchilla  Cat  .  .  .  .142 

Brown  Tabby  Cat  .  .  144 

Silver  Tabby  Cat  .  .  147 

Red  or  Orange  Tabby  Cat  .  1 50 

xxi.  LONG-HAIRED — Smoke  Cat  .  .  .  .153 

Tortoiseshell  Cat  .  .156 

Any  Other  Variety  .  1 59 
ix 


x  CONTENTS 

CHAP.  PAGE 

xxn.  SHORT-HAIRED — Black  Cat         .             .  .  .161 

White  Cat        .'            .  ,  .163 

Blue  Cat                        .  .  .166 

xxiii.  SHORT-HAIRED — Red  Tabby  Cat             .  .  .169 

Silver  Tabby  Cat          .  .  .172 

Brown  Tabby  Cat         .  .  .175 

Spotted  Tabby  Cat       .  .  .178 

Narrow  Striped  Tabby  Cat  .  .        181 

xxvi.  SHORT-HAIRED — Smoke-Coloured  Cat     .  .  .184 

Black  and  White  Cat  .  .  .       186 

White  and  Black  Cat   .  .  .188 

Tabby  and  White  Cat  .  .  .191 

xxv.  SHORT-HAIRED — Tortoiseshell  Cat           .  .  .194 

Tortoiseshell  and  White  Cat  .  .196 

Manx  Cat        .             .  .  .199 

Abyssinian  Cat               .  .  .       203 
Siamese  Cat      ....       205 

Mexican  Hairless  Cat  .  .  .       209 

Indian  Cat        .              .  .  .211 

xxvi.  SHORT-HAIRED — Wild  Cat          .             .  .  .213 

Any  Other  Variety       .  .  .218 

xxvn.  A  Few  Words  on  Cats  in  General          .  .  .220 

xxvni.  Anecdotes  about  Cats  .             .             .  .  .226 

xxix.         „  ......       237 

xxx.         „                 „                          .  251 

xxxi.         „                  „             .              .              .  »••  .       266 

CAVIES 

xxxn.  Peruvian  Cavies             .              .              .  .  .285 

xxxm.  Abyssinian  Cavies         .....       292 

xxxiv.  Bolivian  or  English  Cavies        .              .  .  .       298 

Bolivian  Self-Coloured  Cavies  ....       299 

Bolivian  or  English  Agouti  Cavies         .  .  .301 

„                  „         Tortoiseshell  Cavies  .  .       302 

„  „         Tortoiseshell  and  White  Cavies      .       304 

„                  „         Dutch-marked  Cavies  .  .       306 

„                  „         Any  Other  Variety  .  .307 

INDEX  .              .              *'             ,             .  .  .311 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Group  of  British  and  Foreign  Cats  .  .  ,:  Frontispiece 

Headpiece  to  Rabbit  Section — Group  of  Rabbits  .  .  20 

Lop-eared  Rabbit — "  Ch.  May-field  Surprise."  Owners,  Messrs 

Chadwick  and  Tuckett  »  .  .24 

Lop-eared  Rabbit — "Ch.  Coronation."  Owner,  W.  C.  E. 

Dibble  .  .  .  .  .  24 

Belgian  Hare  Rabbit — "Ch.  Fashoda."  Owners,  Bonanza 

Rabbitry,  Los  Angeles  .  .  .  •  33 

Belgian  Hare  Rabbit — "Ch.  Dash."  Owners,  Meadowbrook 

B.  H.  Co.,  Los  Angeles  .  .  .  .  33 

Belgian  Hare  Rabbit — "  Ch.  Priory  Prince."  Owner,  E.  H. 

Guy  .  .  .  ,  .  .  .41 

Belgian  Hare  Rabbit — "  Lord  Lurgan."  Owners,  Lord 

Lurgan  Rabbitry,  Los  Angeles  .  .  .  .41 

Belgian  Hare  Rabbit — "  Sir  Styles."  Owners,  Messrs 

Westbrook  and  Brown,  Los  Angeles  .  ..  ,44 

Belgian  Hare  Rabbit—"  Lady  Di."  Owner,  C.  H.  Lane  •  --I  44 
Black  and  Tan  Rabbit — "  Ideal."  Owner,  Rev.  W.  Mathias  .  48 
Blue  and  Tan  Rabbit— "Ch.  President  Lincoln."  Owners 

Messrs  Ovenden  and  Fawcett  .  *  •  '.• ...  48 

Japanese  Rabbit — Typical  Specimen  •  .  .  ••  5^ 

Patagonian  Rabbit — Typical  Specimen  .  .  .  58 

Polish  Rabbit — Great  prize  winner.  Owner,  Geo.  Dickinson  .  64 
Polish  Rabbit—"  Lord  Richard."  Owner,  C.  H.  Lane  :  .-  64 
Siberian  Rabbit — Typical  Specimen  .  .  .  .72 

Flemish  Giant  Rabbit — "Ch.  Lady  Beatrice."  Owner,  A. 

Merry,  Junior  .  .  .  .  .          .    »          72 

Flemish  Giant  Rabbit — "Victoria."  Owner,  S.  R.  Turk  .  77 
Himalayan  Rabbit — "Chall.  Cup  Winner.  Owner,  F.  Avard  .  77 
Himalayan  Rabbit — "Larry  Carter."  Owner,  C.  H.  Lane  .  83 

xi 


xii  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 


Dutch,  Black  Rabbit— "Ch.  Bonus."  Owner,  J.  Malley  .  83 
Dutch,  Tortoiseshell  Rabbit — "Ch.  Sensation."  Owners, 

Messrs  Mason  and  South  .  .  .  .87 

Dutch,  Blue  Rabbit— "  Little  Boy  Blue."  Owner,  C.  H. 

Lane     .......         87 

Angora  White  Rabbit — "  Ch.  Quality."  Owner,  E.  J.  Sands  90 
Angora  White  Rabbit— "  Ch.  Elegance."  Owner,  Miss  W. 

Kimmins  ......         90 

English  Rabbit — "Ch.  Matchless."  Owners,  Messrs  Cunliffe 

and  Son  ......         94 

English  Rabbit — "  Ch.  Majestic."  Owner,  Albert  Tottle  .  94 
English  Rabbit — "  Lyric."  Owner,  C.  H.  Lane  .  .  97 

Silver  Grey  Dark  Rabbit— "  Ch.  Model."  Owner,  T.  A. 

Luck    .  .  .  .  .  .  .         97 

Silver  Grey  Medium  Rabbit — "  Ch.  Darling  Ethel."  Owners, 

Messrs  Oddy  and  Son  .  .  .  .  .102 

Silver  Grey  Light  Rabbit — "  Lord  Grey."  Owner,  C.  H.  Lane  102 
Silver  Fawn  Rabbit — "Ch.  Orange  Queen."  Owners,  Messrs 

Barkham  and  Stone  .  .  .  .  .112 

Silver  Fawn  Rabbit— "Ch.  Lincoln  Hero."  Owner,  T.  A. 

Luck    .  .  .  .  .  .  .112 

Silver  Brown  Rabbit — "  Ch.  First  Favourite."  Owners, 

Messrs  Tee  and  Son  .  .  .  .  .116 

Silver  Brown  Rabbit — "Little  Goldmine."  Owners,  Messrs 

Tee  and  Son    .  .  .  .  .  .116 

Headpiece  to  Cat  Section — Group  of  Cats  .  .  .128 

Long-haired  White  Cat— "Ch.  White  Heather."  Owner, 

Hon.  Mrs  McL.  Morrison  .  .  .  .131 

Long-haired  Cream  Cat — "Ch.  Ronaldkirk  Midshipmite." 

Owner,  Miss  Beale  .  .  .  .  •'  I33 

Long-haired  Black— "Ch.  Neptune."  Owner,  H.  W.  H. 

Warner  .  .  .  .  .  •  *33 

Long-haired  Black  Cat— "King  Lear."  Owner,  C.  H. 

Lane    .  .  .  .  .  .  .135 

Long-haired  Blue  Cat — "Ch.  Wooloomooloo."  Owner,  Mrs 

Dean  .  .  .  *  .  ,  137 

Long-haired  Blue  Cat — "Ch.  Holmwood  Skittles."  Owner, 

Miss  Jay  .  .  .  .  .  .138 

Long-haired  Blue  Cat— "Ch.  Mabel  of  Lozells."  Owner,  C. 

W.  Witt  ......       138 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS  xiii 

PAGE 

Long-haired  White  Neuter  Cat — "  Laurel  Shah."     Owner,  C. 

H.  Lane  ....  ...  .       140 

Long-haired  Chinchilla  Cat — "Ch.  Ameer."  Owner,  Hon. 

Mrs  McL.  Morrison  .....  142 
Long-haired  Chinchilla  Cat — "Ch.  Fulmer  Zaida."  Owner, 

Lady  Decies     .  .  .  .  .  .144 

Long-haired  Chinchilla  Cat — "  Ch.  Fulmer  Lord  Southampton." 

Owner,  Lady  Decies  .....  145 
Long-haired  Brown  Tabby  Cat — "  Ch.  Prince."  Owner,  Mrs 

King     .  .  .  .  .  .  .146 

Long-haired  Tortoiseshell  Cat — "  Laurel  Lulu."  Owner,  C. 

H.  Lane  ......       149 

Long-haired  Dark  Smoke  Cat  —  "Ch.  Backwell  Jogram." 

Owner,  Mrs  H.  V.  James  .  .  .  153 

Long-haired  Red  Tabby  Cat— "Ch.  Puck."  Owner,  Hon. 

Mrs  McL.  Morrison  .  .  .  .  .154 

Long-haired  Orange  Tabby  Cat — "Ch.  Golden  Butterfly." 

Owner,  Mrs  Dean  .  .  .  .  .154 

Long-haired  Light  Smoke  Cat — "  Laurel  Cheeky."  Owner,  C. 

H.  Lane  .  .  .  .  .  155 

Long-haired  Silver  Tabby  Cat— "Ch.  Abdul  Hamet  of 

Dingley."  Owner,  Miss  Leake  .  .  .156 

Long-haired  Silver  Tabby  Cat — "Ch.  Thames  Valley  Silver 

King."  Owner,  Miss  Derby  Hyde  .  .  .156 

Long-haired  Grey  Tabby  Cat  —  "Ch.  Laurel  Leopold." 

Owner,  C.  H.  Lane  .  .  .  .  .158 

Short-haired  Black  Cat— "  Laurel  Luther."  Owner,  C.  H. 

Lane    .......       161 

Short-haired  Black  Cat — "  Little  Sambo."  Owner,  C.  H.  Lane  161 
Short-haired  White  Cat—"  Ch.  Ballochmyle  Billie  Blue  Eyes." 

Owner,  Lady  Alexander  .  .  .  .163 

Short-haired  White  Cat — "  Ch.  Laurel  Emperor."  Owner, 

C.  H.  Lane      ......       164 

Short-haired  Neuter  Cat — "  Laurel  Leonidas."  Owner,  C. 

H.  Lane  ......       164 

Short-haired  Blue  Cat — "Ch.  Ballochmyle  Brother  Bump." 

Owner,  Lady  Alexander  .  .  .  .167 

Short-haired  Blue  Cat — "  Ballochmyle  Blue  Queen."  Owner, 

Lady  Alexander  .  .  .  .  .167 

Short-haired  Red  Tabby  Cat—"  Ch.  Ballochmyle  Perfection." 

Owner,  Lady  Alexander  .  .  .  .170 


xiv  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Short-haired  Neuter  Red  Tabby  Cat — "  Lord  Rufus."     Owner, 

C.  H.  Lane      .  .  .  .  .  .170 

Short-haired  Silver  Tabby  Cat — "  Ch.  Jimmy."  Owner,  Mrs 

George  Herring  .  .  .  .  •  I73 

Short-haired  Silver  Tabby  Cat — "  Ch.  Laurel  King."  Owner, 

C.  H.  Lane  .  .  .  .  .  173 

Short-haired  Silver  Tabby  Cat — "  Ch.  Laurel  Queen."  Owner, 

C.  H.  Lane  .  .  .  .  .  174 

Short-haired  Brown  Tabby  Cat— "Ch.  Fulmer  Xenophon." 

Owner,  Lady  Decies  .....  177 
Short-haired  Brown  Tabby  Cat — "  Laurel  Quar."  Owner,  C. 

H.  Lane  .  .  .  .  .  .177 

Short-haired  Spotted  Tabby  Cat— "  Tiddles."  Owner,  R. 

T.  Babb  ......       181 

Short-haired  Narrow-Striped  Tabby  Cat — "  Silver."  Owner, 

Mrs  Fossett      .  .  .  .  .  .183 

Short-haired  Smoke  Cat — "Laurel  Luke."  Owner,  C.  H. 

Lane    .......       186 

Short-haired  Black  and  White  Cat — "  Laurel  Rector."  Owner, 

C.  H.  Lane 188 

Short-haired  White  and  Black  Cat — "Laurel  Magpie." 

Owner,  C.  H.  Lane  .  .  .  .  -.188 

Short-haired  Tabby  and  White — "  Laurel  Silver  Star."  Owner, 

C.  H.  Lane       .  .  .  .  .  .192 

Short-haired  Male  Tortoiseshell  Cat — "Ch.  Ballochmyle  Sam- 
son." Owner,  Lady  Alexander  .  .  .195 
Short-haired  Female  Tortoiseshell  Cat — "Ch.  Ballochmyle 

Bountiful  Bertie."  Owner,  Lady  Alexander  .  .195 

Short-haired  Tortoiseshell  and  White  Cat — "Ch.  Balloch- 
myle Otter."  Owner,  Lady  Alexander  .  .196 
Short-haired  Male  Tortoiseshell  and  White  Cat — "Laurel 

Lothair."  Owner,  C.  H.  Lane  .  .  *  196 

Short-haired  Manx  Tabby  Cat — "  Ch.  Bonhaki."  Owner,  Mrs 

H.  C.  Brooke  .'•-..'  .  .  .  .  198 

Short-haired  Manx  White  Cat—"  Lord  Luke/'  Owner,  C.  H. 

Lane  .  .  .  .  .  *  .198 

Short-haired  Abyssinian  Cat — "  Queen  Jumbo."  Owner,  Mrs 

George  Herring  .....  203 

Short-haired  Siamese  Cat — "Ch.  Wankee."  Owner,  Mrs  M. 

Robinson  »  ,  .  .  .       206 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS  xv 


PAGE 


Short-haired  Siamese  Cat — "Ch.  Meo."     Owner,  Mrs  Cunliffe 

Lee      .......       206 

Short-haired  Mexican  Hairless  Cat — "Jesuit."  Owner,  Hon. 

Mrs  McL.  Morrison  .....  209 
Short-haired  Indian  Cat — "Indischer  Furst."  Owner,  Mrs 

H.  C.  Brooke   .  .  ...          .  .  .211 

British  Wild  Cat — Typical  Specimen.  Owner,  late  Lord 

Lilford  .  .  .•'*"'  .  .  -'. ;  217 

Short-haired  Narrow-striped  Tabby  and  White — "Lord 

Stanley."     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane  .  ,  ,  *       219 

Headpiece  to  Cavy  Section — Group  of  Cavies  .  .  •  V  282 

Peruvian  Cavy,  Self— "Ch.  Grand  Duke."  Owner,  W.  A. 

Sherlock  .  .  .  .  .  289 

Peruvian  Cavy,  Self— "Ch.  Lily-White."  Owner,  S.  Newlove  289 
Peruvian  Cavy,  other  than  Self — "  Lord  Sultan."  Owner,  C. 

H.  Lane  .  .  .  .  .  .291 

Peruvian  Cavy,  other  than  Self — "  Lady  Irene."  Owner,  C. 

H.  Lane  ......       291 

Abyssinian  Cavy — "Ch.  Bosco."  Owner,  J.  Thompson  .  292 

Abyssinian  Cavy — "  Ch.  Hull  Lady."  Owner,  J.  Thompson  .  292 
Abyssinian  Cavy — "Ch.  Florence  Second."  Owner,  J. 

Thompson         ......       295 

Abyssinian  Cavy — "  Laurel  Leopold.  Owner,  C.  H.  Lane  .  295 
Bolivian  or  Smooth  Cavy,  Self— ."  Ch.  What's  Wanted." 

Owners,  Messrs  Tee  and  Hanslip  .  .  .  298 

Bolivian  or  Smooth  Cavy,  Self— ««  Ch.  Daisy."  Owner,  F.  W. 

Walker  .  .  .  .  .  .298 

Bolivian  or  Smooth  Cavy,  Self— "Ch.  Black  Bess."  Owner, 

A.  Foster          ......       300 

Bolivian  or  Smooth  Cavy,  Self—"  Black  Boy."  Owner,  C.  H. 

Lane    .......        300 

Smooth  Golden  Agouti  Cavy — "Ch.  King  of  the  Yukon." 

Owners,  Messrs  Wright  and  Ford  .  .  .  302 

Smooth  Golden  Agouti  Cavy,  "Sister  Laura."  Owner,  C.  H. 

Lane    .......       302 

Smooth  Grey  Agouti  Cavy — "Greyfriar."  Owner,  C.  H. 

Lane    .  .  .  .  .  .  302 

Smooth  Tortoiseshell  Cavy — "Ch.  Surefoot."  Owner,  J. 

Thompson        .  »  ,#  .  .  .       302 


xvi  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Smooth  Tortoiseshell  and  White  Cavy — "Ch.   Lady    Sarah." 

Owner,  J.  H.  Lilley  .....  304 
Smooth  Tortoiseshell  and  White  Cavy — "Ch.  Elegance." 

Owner,  J.  S.  James  .  .  ,  '.  •  .  .  304 

Smooth  Tortoiseshell  Cavy — "Sir  Lucius."  Owner,  C.  H. 

Lane  ....'..  304 
Smooth  Tortoiseshell  and  White  Cavy — "  Ch.  Galtee  More." 

Owners,  Messrs  Bousfield  Bros.  .  .  .  304 

Smooth,  Any  Other  Colour — "  Lord  Piebald."  Owner,  C.  H. 

Lane    .......       306 

Cavy,  Any  Other  Colour— "Lord  Blaze."  Owner,  C.  H. 

Lane  .  .  «  ''  .  .  .  .  306 

Smooth  Dutch-marked  Cavy— "Ch.  Klondyke."  Owner,  T. 

Blackburn         ......       308 

Smooth  Dutch-marked  Cavy — "Ch.  Monarch."  Owner,  J. 

H.  Lilley         .  .  .  .  .  .308 


RABBITS 


Rabbits,  Cats,  and  Cavies 


CHAPTER    I/-  /,  .: 

INTRODUCTORY 

I  PROPOSE  to  deal  with  the  above  in  the  order  given, 
and  to  say  something  of  each  of  the  several  varieties 
usually  adapted  for  exhibition  at  the  shows  now  so 
frequently  providing  classes  for  them,  in  these  and 
other  countries. 

I  do  not  think  there  is  the  slightest  doubt  that  at 
the  present  time  there  is  more  attention  paid  to  these 
small  pets  than  at  any  previous  period  in  the  history  of 
the  world,  and  that  great  numbers  of  persons,  if  not,  as 
in  some  cases  is  probably  done,  earning  their  livelihood 
by  breeding  specimens  for  sale,  are  at  anyrate  making 
thereby  a  substantial  addition  to  their  incomes. 

Rabbits  have  made  rapid  strides  in  popular  favour  of 
late  years,  and  many  varieties  now  appear  in  the  show 
pens,  not  only  differing  in  size  and  shape,  but  also  in 
colour  and  markings. 

Of  each  of  these  I  propose  to  give  some  particulars 

3 


4  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

which  may  afford  some  of  the  novices  amongst  my  readers 
practical  information  as  to  what  they  should  seek  after 
and  avoid  in  their  dealings  with  other  fanciers. 

The  variety  known  as  the  Lops,  although  probably  still 
looked  upon  as  pillars  of  the  rabbit  fancy,  are,  I  think, 
not  so  extensively  kept,  or  at  anyrate,  not  so  often  met 
with,  in  classes  for  them  only,  at  many  of  the  shows  as 
was  formerly  the  case. 

\  /  Theire/may  be  several  reasons  for  this,  one  being  that 
they  are  .supposed  to  require  warmer  quarters  than  any 
othrjr  varieties!,  fef  the  rabbit  tribe. 

And  this  is  probably  why  it  is  found  that  bakers 
and  eating-house  keepers  are  some  of  the  most  successful 
with  this  variety,  where  the  length  and  width  of  the  ears 
form  such  important  items  in  the  production  of  high-class 
specimens. 

One  of  the  most  popular  varieties  of  late  years,  both 
in  these  countries  and  in  America,  where  it  has  been 
"  boomed  "  to  an  unusual  extent,  is  the  Belgian  hare. 

This  is  not  only  of  pleasing  appearance,  greatly 
resembling  in  colour  and  shape,  while  nearly  approaching 
in  size,  our  native  wild  hare,  but  also  has  the  additional 
recommendation  of  making  an  excellent  dish  for  the 
table  ;  and  for  the  several  purposes  of  showing  and  eating, 
there  are  probably  more  Belgian  hare  rabbits  being  bred 
at  the  present  time  than  of  any  other  of  the  family, 
except  the  wild  rabbits  so  common  in  this  country,  and 
which  have  proved  such  a  trouble  to  some  of  our 
Colonies. 

The  family  of  the  Silvers  forms  a  very  interesting 


INTRODUCTORY  5 

group,  mainly  divided  into  greys,  fawns  or  creams,  and 
browns,  with  subdivisions  into  light,  medium  and  dark, 
the  shades  of  which  sometimes  so  closely  approach  each 
other  as  to  cause  exhibitors  some  difficulty  to  determine 
in  which  class  to  make  their  entries,  and  give  judges 
great  difficulty  in  making  their  awards. 

Another  very  popular  variety  is  the  Dutch,  which  is 
the  smallest  of  the  rabbit  tribe.  They  have  one  advantage 
over  most  others,  in  showing  at  a  very  early  age,  by  their 
faint  markings,  whether  they  are  worth  keeping  or  not. 

They  are  also  useful  in  another  way,  as  they  prove 
the  best  of  foster  mothers,  and  of  service  when  a  doe  has 
a  larger  litter  than  she  can  safely  rear,  as  it  is  not  an 
unusual  circumstance  when  eight  or  ten  youngsters 
appear  at  one  birth  for  them  to  be  divided  between  the 
mother  and  a  little  Dutch  foster. 

Flemish  Giants,  as  the  name  implies,  are  very  large 
rabbits,  and  at  shows  where — as  sometimes  happens — 
prizes  are  offered  for  the  heaviest  rabbits,  these  are  nearly 
certain  to  take  the  awards. 

In  some  parts  of  this  country  these  are  very  popular, 
and  largely  kept,  although  not  so  much  in  the  South  and 
West  of  England  as  in  the  Midlands  and  the  North  ; 
but  they  make  substantial  items  as  table  fare. 

Himalayan  rabbits,  presumably  from  their  name,  of 
Eastern  origin,  are  not  a  large  variety,  and  I  fancy,  not 
gaining  in  favour,  as  I  have  certainly  seen  less  of  them 
the  last  ten  years  or  so  than  formerly. 

In  their  case,  markings  are  all  important,  the  nose, 
ears,  fore  and  hind  feet  being  as  nearly  black  as  possible, 


6  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAV1ES 

while  the  rest  of  the  body  is  pure  white,  and  it  is  found 
very  difficult  to  preserve  these  conditions  in  perfection. 
The  same  rabbit  at  times  seeming  to  lose  colour  in  those 
parts  where  its  density  is  so  essential  to  success  in  the 
show  pens. 

I  think  this  must  have  disheartened  some  of  its 
fanciers,  and  caused  a  marked  diminution  in  their 
numbers,  as  of  late  I  have  met  with  few  schedules  pro- 
viding classes  for  this  variety,  which  is  now  mostly  seen, 
as  far  as  my  experience  goes,  in  variety  classes. 

Another  variety  whose  popularity  is,  I  think,  not 
being  maintained,  is  the  Polish,  a  lively  pretty  little 
pure  white  rabbit,  about  the  size  of  a  large  Dutch. 

Some  years  since  these  were  extensively  kept,  and 
classes  given  them  at  many  of  the  shows,  but  now  I 
seldom  see  them  anywhere,  except  occasionally  in  variety 
or  selling  classes.  I  do  not  know  any  reason  for  its 
waning  popularity,  except  that  others  have  come  more 
into  general  favour,  and  on  the  principle  of  the  survival 
of  the  fittest,  the  Polish  have  been  thrust  into  the  back- 
ground. 

One  that  has  for  many  years  retained  its  hold  on  the 
favour  of  the  public,  whether  fanciers  or  not,  is  the 
Angora,  perhaps  the  most  beautiful  of  all  the  rabbit 
family,  and  which  certainly  requires  the  most  care  and 
trouble  to  produce  and  keep  in  show  form. 

As  most  of  my  readers  will  know,  this  has  the  longest 
hair  of  any  variety — mostly  pure  white  and  fleecy — so  that 
a  good  specimen  looks  like  a  mass  of  soft,  silky  hair  ;  but 
only  those  who  have  kept  them  know  how  much  attention 


INTRODUCTORY  7 

is  required  to  keep  their  coats  in  order,  free  from  any 
knots  or  matting,  and  the  colour  untainted  in  the  slightest 
respect. 

I  think  they  are  still  highly  popular,  as  I  have  lately 
had  large  classes  before  me  of  high  quality  and  type. 

There  is  one  variety  that  has  come  into  great  popu- 
larity of  late  years,  and  seems,  in  vulgar  parlance,  to  have 
come  to  stay,  and  which  is  really  a  revival  of  an  old 
favourite  with  a  new  name. 

What  we  used  to  know  when  I  was  a  boy  as  the 
Spotted  Butterfly  has  blossomed  into  the  English  rabbit  ; 
not  that  I  find  any  fault  with  the  title,  for  I  think  it 
really  represents  what  it  is,  and,  after  the  wild  rabbit 
and  the  lop,  it  is  probably  the  oldest  variety  of  the  family 
with  a  strictly  British  origin. 

I  remember  the  first  rabbits  I  owned  were  of  this 
kind,  but  for  a  number  of  years  they  were  rarely  seen  at 
shows,  and  then  chiefly  in  variety  classes  ;  since  then, 
however,  they  have  grown  in  numbers  and  quality,  and 
first-rate  specimens  have  been  often  sold  at  highly  satis- 
factory prices.  They  have  a  large  number  of  admirers 
at  the  present  day,  and  classes  provided  for  them  at  very 
many  of  the  shows. 

Even  as  lately  as  the  year  1902  I  have  had  very 
respectable  entries  of  them,  and  of  sufficient  quality  to 
require  great  care  in  sorting  out  the  best. 

I  may  say,  for  the  benefit  of  those  not  knowing 
this  variety,  that  it  is  of  medium  size,  white,  with  pre- 
scribed black  markings,  comprising  a  mark  much  like  a 
butterfly  on  the  nose,  hence  its  old  name,  a  trace  down  the 


8  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

back  and  chains  of  spots  from  sides  of  neck,  connecting 
with  markings  on  sides  and  back  markings,  forming  a  sort 
of  saddle,  and  there  are  other  requirements  which  I  shall 
deal  with  more  in  detail  when  treating  of  this  variety  in 
particular. 

From  old  associations  I  have  always  taken  an  interest 
in  these,  and  have  had  not  a  few  winners  amongst  my 
stock,  when  I  went  in  extensively  for  exhibiting  rabbits 
some  years  since. 

The  variety  known  as  the  Patagonian  seems  to  have 
been  given  a  fancy  name,  as  I  have  never  heard  that  it  had 
any  connection  with  the  country  of  that  name,  most  of 
those  which  have  found  their  way  here  having  been 
imported  from  the  Continent  of  Europe. 

As  far  as  my  experience  goes,  it  has  never  enjoyed 
much  favour  with  our  fanciers,  and  I  do  not  remember 
seeing  a  class  given  to  it  at  any  shows. 

And  if  anything  can  cause  a  variety  of  any  sort  at 
exhibitions  to  lose  popularity,  it  is  for  it  to  be  constantly 
shown  in  "  Any  Other  Variety  classes,"  as  it  then  becomes 
almost  a  lottery  as  to  what  will  take  the  fancy  of  the 
judge. 

Doubtless  the  right  course  to  take  in  such  a  case  is  to 
give  the  prizes  to  the  best  specimens  of  their  several 
varieties,  but  as  most  judges  have  partiality  for,  and  are 
better  acquainted  with,  some  varieties  than  others,  it  is 
only  natural  they  should  give  the  preference  to  those 
specimens,  than  to  others  they  may  not  know  so  well ;  in 
such  cases  the  Patagonian  usually  comes  off  badly. 

It  is  a  large  rabbit,  dark  iron-grey  in  colour,  and  is 


INTRODUCTORY  9 

often  confounded  with  the  Flemish  Giant,  to  which  it  has 
some  points  of  resemblance.  There  is  little  doubt  they 
have  been  bred  together,  not,  I  think,  to  the  advantage  of 
either,  but  this  is  a  matter  of  opinion. 

Probably,  if  a  few  spirited  breeders  took  up  the 
variety  with  vigour,  attention  might  be  drawn  to  it,  and 
classes  provided  at  some  of  the  shows,  but  unless  this 
is  done  it  will  remain,  in  the  words  of  the  old  song,  "a 
sort  we  sometimes  hear  about,  but  very  seldom  see." 

Another  variety  in  the  same  category  is  the  Siberian, 
which,  in  my  opinion,  is  even  less  often  met  with,  at  least 
at  shows,  than  the  Patagonian. 

In  spite  of  its  name  and  supposed  connection  with 
Russia,  the  general  idea  amongst  fanciers  here  seems  to 
be  that  it  is  a  home  production,  and  the  result  of  a  cross 
between  the  Angora  and  the  Himalayan  varieties. 

And  this  its  appearance  does  much  to  justify,  as  it 
possesses  the  long  coat  of  the  former,  with  the  markings 
of  the  latter.  But  whether  a  cross  or  not,  it  is  found  to 
breed  true  to  type  and  colour,  and  to  be  rather  a  prolific 
breeder.  It  is  usually  tame,  gentle  in  disposition,  and 
hardy  in  its  constitution. 

They  are  often  very  beautiful  animals,  suitable  for 
young  ladies  and  others  caring  to  keep  them  as  pets 
rather  than  for  exhibition,  as,  like  the  Patagonians,  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  find  schedules  with  classes  for  either 
of  them. 

I  have  been  told  that  this  variety  is  in  great  favour  on 
the  Continent,  particularly  in  France,  where  great  numbers 
of  them  are  kept,  perhaps  more  for  the  value  of  their 


io  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

coats  and  for  eating  than  for  exhibition,  as  I  am  not 
aware  that  rabbits  are  shown  on  the  Continent  to  anything 
like  the  extent  that  prevails  with  us,  although  of  late  years 
they  have  warmly  taken  up  with  dogs,  poultry,  pigeons 
and  some  kinds  of  cage  birds. 

Another  variety,  which  is  perhaps  the  least  often  seen 
at  exhibitions  in  this  country,  is  that  known  as  the 
Japanese,  which  is  thought  to  have  been  practically 
unknown  here  prior  to  1893,  when  a  brief  notice  of  it 
was  given  in  one  of  our  fanciers'  papers. 

Although  much  larger  in  size,  it  has  somewhat  the 
shape  of  the  Dutch  variety,  and  some  of  those  which  have 
been  received  in  this  country  from  France,  where  it  has 
found  favour  with  some  breeders,  have  evidently  been 
crossed  with  Dutch,  but  not  to  the  advantage  of  the 
breed. 

In  point  of  shape,  size,  and  general  utility  for  table 
purposes,  the  variety  offers  scope  for  development  of 
usefulness  ;  although  as  a  competitor  at  shows  it  has  yet 
been  little  seen,  but  if  taken  up  by  zealous  and  energetic 
breeders  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  it  would  attract 
notice,  like  many  other  novelties  of  less  merit  have 
already  done. 

There  appears  to  be  nothing  delicate  about  the  variety, 
which  has  been  bred  in  open-air  hutches  on  the  Continent 
of  Europe,  but,  no  doubt,  those  reared  indoors  would  be 
finer  and  softer  in  coat,  and  these  are  qualities  esteemed 
by  its  votaries. 

As  this  is  one  of  the  few  rabbits  I  have  not  personally 
kept,  I  am  not  able  to  give  the  results  of  my  own  experi- 


INTRODUCTORY  1 1 

ence  of  it,  but  will  furnish  some  more  details  respect- 
ing it  when  I  treat  of  this  variety  in  particular. 

When  I  have  mentioned  two  other  varieties,  which 
have  much  in  common,  I  believe  I  shall  have  touched  on 
all  those  now  recognised  as  "  fancy  rabbits  "  in  the  present 
day,  and  will  pass  on  to  the  next  section  of  the  subjects  to 
be  dealt  with  in  these  pages. 

The  two  last  of  the  rabbit  family  requiring  any  notice 
are  the  Black  and  Tan  and  the  Blue  and  Tan,  the  names 
of  which  convey  some  idea  of  their  appearance. 

Of  course,  in  theory,  the  former  should  resemble  as 
closely  as  possible  the  terrier  known  under  that  name,  but, 
as  an  old  dog  fancier,  I  may  say  that  in  practice  very  few 
come  at  all  near  that  standard. 

And  this  is  not  so  much  in  respect  to  the  black  parts, 
as  to  the  tan,  which  is  rarely  seen  bright  or  clear  enough 
to  deserve  the  title  of  tan  at  all,  and  is  more  often  a  pale 
greyish  brown. 

At  comparatively  few  shows  in  the  South  or  West  of 
England — where,  I  am  bound  to  say,  the  rabbit  fanciers 
are  neither  as  numerous  or  as  keen  as  in  some  other  parts 
of  the  country — are  classes  provided  for  either  of  these 
varieties. 

The  consequence  is  they  are  usually  found  in  the  any 
variety  or  selling  classes,  but,  if  anything  like  fair  speci- 
mens, often  "  get  into  the  money,"  as  all  judges  who  have 
any  general  knowledge  of  the  rabbit  fancy  know  that 
they  are  hard  to  breed  of  type  and  quality. 

The  Blue  and  Tan,  in  all  important  respects,  is 
on  the  same  lines  as  the  Black  and  Tan,  except  that 


12  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

where  the  latter  is  black  the  other  is  a  sort  of  dark  slate 
blue. 

These  are  decidedly  pretty  rabbits,  rather  of  small 
medium  size,  quite  a  fancy  rather  than  a  useful  sort  to 
keep,  and  breeders  of  them  must  be  prepared  to  draw  more 
blanks  than  prizes  in  their  breeding  operations,  because 
many  of  them,  as  I  have  said,  fail  in  their  tan  markings, 

I  think  it  was  in  the  year  1871  that  my  respected 
friend,  Mr  Harrison  Weir,  who  all  his  life  has  been 
interested  in  animals,  used  his  influence  and  valuable  help 
in  inaugurating  the  series  of  exhibitions  of  Cats  at  the 
Crystal  Palace,  which  have,  I  believe  (I  have  attended 
nearly  all  of  them,  and  taken  numbers  of  prizes  there), 
been  continued  every  year  since  without  a  break. 

For  a  great  number  of  years  he  and  his  late  brother, 
Mr  John  Jenner  Weir,  F.Z.S.,  were  the  only  judges 
appointed  at  these  shows,  and  they  also  officiated  at  the 
cat  shows  held  year  after  year  at  the  Royal  Aquarium, 
Brighton. 

Although  many  others  have  been  held  from  time  to 
time  in  different  parts  of  the  kingdom,  I  think  these  have 
maintained  their  position  at  the  head  of  affairs  in  the  Cat 
Fancy,  and  that  exhibitors  have  always  valued  success  at 
those  places  more  than  at  any  other  exhibition. 

Since  the  foundation  of  the  National  Cat  Club, 
followed  by  the  Cat  Club  and  the  British  Cat  Club,  of 
course  cats  have  attained  a  more  important  position  than 
they  formerly  held,  and  not  only  are  they  raised  in 
popular  favour,  but  have  greatly  increased  in  value,  so 
that  specimens  of  sufficient  quality  to  win  prizes  in  their 


INTRODUCTORY  13 

classes  readily  find  purchasers  at  remunerative  prices,  and 
I  know  of  many  persons,  of  both  sexes,  who  keep  well- 
filled  catteries  to  supply  the  demand  created  by  the 
shows. 

In  the  early  days,  I  should  say  long-haired  cats  were 
decidedly  in  the  minority,  but  for  some  years  past — I 
expect  for  exhibition  purposes — more  of  the  long-haired 
have  been  bred  than  of  the  short-haired. 

I  have  usually  kept  a  good  many  of  both  sorts,  and 
have  taken  some  hundreds  of  prizes  with  them,  but  I 
think  I  have  had  the  best  specimens,  and  taken  the  highest 
honours,  in  the  short-haired  division. 

As  my  readers  will  mostly  be  aware,  there  are  not 
quite  so  many  colour  subdivisions  in  the  Long  Hairs 
as  in  the  Short  Hairs,  and  each  have  their  supporters, 
although  some  fanciers,  like  myself,  keep  both  varieties. 

In  Long  Hairs,  after  the  main  colours  —  Black, 
White,  Blue  and  Smoke — there  are  the  Tabbies,  Chin- 
chillas, Creams  and  Tortoiseshells  ;  any  others  than  those 
named  generally  come  into  the  category  of  Any  Other 
Variety. 

But  in  the  Short  Hairs,  at  large  shows  there  are  often 
classes  for  Blacks,  Whites,  Blues,  Smokes,  Brown,  Silver, 
Red  and  Spotted,  Tabbies,  Tortoiseshells,  Tortoiseshells 
and  White,  Black  and  White,  White  and  Black,  Tabby 
and  White,  Abyssinian,  Manx,  Siamese,  and  Any  Other 
Variety. 

Of  all  of  these  I  mean  to  say  a  few  words,  as  some  of 
my  readers  may  not  have  given  much  attention  to  what 
cat  fanciers  regard  as  important  matters  of  difference 


i4  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

between  the  several  varieties,  and  which  make  or  mar 
their  success  at  the  shows. 

I  have  not  the  slightest  doubt  there  are  hundreds,  if 
not  thousands,  of  cats  running  about  the  country  quite 
good  enough  to  win  prizes  at  shows,  and  to  sell  for  sub- 
stantial figures  if  their  owners  knew  their  value. 

This  I  have  proved  on  more  than  one  occasion  by 
picking  up  specimens  at  different  times  in  most  unlikely 
places,  with  which  I  have  taken  prizes  at  some  of  our  best 
shows. 

To  give  three  instances  from  my  own  experience.  I 
remember  being  in  a  boot  shop  some  years  since  when  a 
little  brown  tabby  female  Short-Hair  jumped  on  the 
counter,  and  made  friends  with  me.  The  proprietor  of 
the  shop,  seeing  I  was  interested  in  cats,  told  me  she  had 
lately  had  kittens,  and  that,  if  I  pleased,  he  would  reserve 
one  for  me  when  old  enough  to  leave  its  mother.  I 
thanked  him,  and  said  I  would  call  for  it  in  a  month's 
time. 

When  I  went  there  for  it,  he  said  he  had  an  arrival 
in  his  own  family,  and  his  wife  wished  to  get  rid  of  cat 
and  kitten,  so  if  I  would  accept  it,  he  would  be  happy 
to  give  me  both,  which  I  took  with  pleasure. 

Shortly  afterwards  I  was  in  the  same  shop  again, 
when  the  man  said  he  had  been  tempted  to  buy  a  fine 
cat  from  a  sailor,  and,  if  I  liked,  I  could  have  it  for  a 
sovereign. 

This  was  one  of  the  best  black  Persians  I  had  ever 
seen,  and  I  was  not  long  deciding  to  accept  his  offer,  and 
never  regretted  my  purchase.  As  it  was  in  the  autumn,  some 


INTRODUCTORY  15 

weeks  before  the  Crystal  Palace  Cat  Show,  I  entered  the 
little  brown  tabby  Short-Hair,  and  the  black  Persian,  the 
former  taking  third  prize  in  a  strong  class  of  her  own 
colour,  and  the  latter  first  prize  in  the  Black  class. 

They  both  took  numbers  of  prizes  all  over  the  country 
afterwards,  and  were  much  admired  wherever  they 
went. 

Another  case  was,  when  I  was  on  my  way  to  a  railway 
station  I  noticed  a  young  short-haired  white  cat,  of  which 
I  liked  the  appearance,  and  took  the  first  opportunity  of 
calling  at  the  cottage  where  it  belonged,  to  inquire  if  they 
would  sell  it.  I  had  some  difficulty  in  getting  them  to 
name  a  price,  as  they  seemed  to  think  it  a  strange  thing 
anyone  should  be  willing  to  pay  anything  for  a  cat,  but  at 
last  they  said  they  would  be  delighted  to  take  half-a-crown 
for  it,  which  of  course  I  readily  paid,  and  this  cat  became 
another  Crystal  Palace  winner,  as  well  as  at  many  other 
places. 

I  mention  these  cases  merely  to  illustrate  the  fact  that 
there  are  plenty  of  good  cats  about,  if  they  were  only 
looked  after. 

One  of  my  most  celebrated  champions  was  bred  by  a 
cottager  in  the  village  where  I  lived,  and  sold  by  him — 
not  to  me — for  the  modest  sum  of  five  shillings.  Un- 
fortunately he  did  not  come  into  my  possession  until  his 
value  had  gone  up  considerably,  owing  to  the  honours  he 
had  taken.  He  was  perhaps  one  of  the  best  short-haired 
whites  with  turquoise  blue  eyes,  ever  exhibited,  and  who 
during  his  show  career  took  scores  of  prizes  at  the  Crystal 
Palace,  Brighton,  Bath,  Clifton,  and  all  the  leading  shows. 


1 6  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

But  in  this  case  I  must  not  complain,  as  he  was  after- 
wards sold  to  someone  who  took  a  fancy  to  him  at  one  of 
the  shows,  for  three  times  the  price  J  paid  for  him. 

To  any  of  my  readers  who  may  propose  to  enter  the 
Cat  Fancy,  I  would  advise  their  beginning  with  Short- 
Hairs,  and  get  to  understand  cats  and  their  ways  before 
going  into  Long-Hairs,  as  the  latter  require  much  more 
care  and  attention  in  keeping  them  in  show  form. 

In  Long-Hairs,  naturally,  the  quantity  and  quality  of  the 
coats  count  for  much  in  their  appearance  and  chances  of 
success  at  shows  ;  and  to  keep  them  in  trim,  free  from 
matting  knots  or  felting,  necessitates  grooming  ;  indeed, 
specimens  intended  for  exhibition  purposes  must  have 
limited  liberty  to  engage  in  feline  amenities  with  their 
fellows,  or  they  are  likely  to  suffer,  from  a  show  point  of 
view. 

Those  concerts  which  sometimes  disturb  the  rest  of 
light  sleepers  are  not  generally  engaged  in  by  cats  in  the 
higher  walks  of  feline  society,  but  are  mostly  confined  to 
the  Ishmaelites  of  the  cat  tribe. 

There  are  doubtless  at  the  present  day  hundreds  of 
cats,  which,  from  the  time  of  their  birth,  are  never  off  the 
premises  of  their  owners,  and  there  are  many  firms  who 
are  constantly  at  work  building  cat  houses  and  catteries, 
with  runs  to  them,  for  the  preservation  and  multiplication 
of  the  numerous  valuable  specimens  owned  up  and  down 
the  country. 

One  piece  of  valuable  advice  I  may  give  to  intending 
cat  fanciers,  and  that  is,  on  no  account  at  any  time  allow 
your  cats  to  be  out  at  night ;  they  will  soon  get  accustomed 


INTRODUCTORY  17 

to  this,  and  if  used  to  the  practice  will  come  in  when 
called,  even  when  allowed  partial  liberty  by  day. 

Probably  in  the  range  of  hobbies  of  any  note  taken  up 
by  fanciers  there  has  been  nothing  of  late  years  to  compare 
with  the  advances  made  by  Cavies. 

The  humble  and  almost  despised  Guinea  Pigs  of  the 
childhood  of  most  of  the  older  fanciers  are  now  seldom 
mentioned,  but  under  the  name  of  Cavies  they  have 
entered  on  a  new  era  of  existence. 

And  whereas  in  the  olden  days  the  value  of  the 
best  specimens  that  could  be  procured  was  reckoned  by 
pence — and  not  many  of  them — now  they  change  hands, 
when  shape,  size  and  colour  are  satisfactory  to  the  experts 
in  these  little  creatures,  at  more  than  as  many  pounds 
sterling  as  the  former  transactions  in  pence. 

To  those  of  my  readers  unacquainted  with  the  subject, 
I  may  explain  that  cavies  may  be  divided  into  three 
sections  : — Those  with  long  hair,  which  are  known  as 
Peruvians  ;  those  with  rough  short  hair,  known  as 
Abyssinians  ;  and  those  with  short  smooth  hair,  known 
as  Bolivian,  English,  or  merely  as  Smooth  cavies. 

The  first  two  varieties  named  above  were  practically 
unknown  at  the  time  when  I  kept  guinea  pigs  as  a  boy, 
and  the  last  named  were  not  considered  of  any  value  from 
an  exhibitor's  point  of  view,  chiefly,  I  think,  because 
shows  were  few  and  far  between  where  even  rabbits  were 
provided  with  classes,  and  it  had  not  entered  into  the 
heads  of  the  boldest  promoters  of  any  kind  of  exhibition 
to  cater  for  such  unconsidered  trifles  as  guinea  pigs ! 

Nowadays   classes   are   often   given    for    Rough   and 


1 8  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

Smooth  cavies,  but  such  division  I  consider  is  wrong,  and 
most  unfavourable  to  the  Abyssinian  variety,  as  by  this 
classification  they  have  to  be  entered  in  the  former  or 
"  rough  class,"  and  often  meet  in  competition  specimens 
of  the  Peruvian  variety,  usually  with  disastrous  effect  to 
their  chances,  unless,  as  is  not  always  the  case,  the  judge 
has  been  a  fancier  and  breeder  of  all  three  varieties,  when 
he  can  appreciate  the  good  qualities  of  each. 

As  I  have  bred  and  kept  many  hundreds  of  cavies,  and 
taken  scores  of  prizes  with  all  the  varieties,  I  can  speak 
with  some  experience  of  them,  and  whenever  I  come  across 
a  really  good  Abyssinian  shown  in  a  rough  class,  I  always 
try  to  get  him  into  the  first  three,  unless  there  are  three 
<c  topping  "  Peruvians  to  oust  him,  and  this,  I  contend,  is 
the  duty  of  any  judge  under  such  circumstances. 

I  hope  in  the  course  of  these  pages,  to  go  more  into 
detail  about  all  the  varieties  named,  so  that  in  these 
introductory  remarks  I  will  only  lightly  touch  upon 
them. 

The  long-haired,  or  Peruvians,  after  size  and  shape 
are  considered,  depend  mainly  on  the  quantity  and  quality 
of  their  coats,  and  some  of  them  are  really  very  beautiful 
little  creatures,  even  from  an  outsider's  point  of  view, 
whilst  the  length  and  shading  of  their  coverings  are  very 
remarkable,  and  worthy  of  attention. 

The  rough-haired,  or  Abyssinians,  have  coats  which 
seem  to  lie  the  wrong  way — that  is,  they  turn  every  way 
but  lying  smooth — and  are  covered  with  little  rosettes  of 
hair,  each  somewhat  the  size  and  shape  of  a  dandelion 
flower.  These  are  continued  all  over  the  bodies,  sides 


INTRODUCTORY  19 

and  head,  the  bristling  hairs  on  which  give  them  a  fierce 
and  ludicrous  appearance,  quite  at  variance  with  their 
natures  which  are  usually  very  mild  and  gentle,  except 
when  quarrelling  amongst  themselves,  when  they  twist 
and  turn  themselves  about  in  a  most  amusing  manner, 
and  assume  the  most  bellicose  attitudes  and  gestures, 
making  all  the  time  a  sort  of  chattering  purr,  and  can 
make  an  opponents  fur  fly,  if  they  are  allowed  to  make 
use  of  their  sharp  little  teeth  upon  him. 

I  should  have  said,  by-the-bye,  it  is  not  always  safe  to 
keep  Peruvians  intended  for  show  together,  as  they  have 
an  objectionable  habit  of  nibbling  each  other's  hair,  and, 
by  so  doing,  greatly  disfigure  perhaps  a  valuable  specimen, 
so  that  it  cannot  be  shown  for  some  time. 

The  Bolivians,  or,  as  they  are  most  generally  called, 
Smooth  or  simply  English  Cavies,  depend  mainly  on  size, 
shape,  and  colour,  but  the  coat  should  not  be  too  long,  or 
soft  in  texture. 

There  are  probably  more  of  the  last  named  than  of 
the  two  other  varieties  together,  partly  because  there  is  so 
much  more  choice  of  colours,  and  also  that  they  are 
easier  to  produce  and  keep  in  form  than  the  others. 

When  I  first  kept  guinea  pigs,  these  were  the  sort  in 
vogue.  At  that  time  they  were  very  seldom  seen,  ex- 
cept of  two,  or  more,  colours  mixed,  but  now  they  can  be 
had  of  self  colours  such  as  all  Black,  Red,  Brown,  Cream, 
White,  Agouti  (a  sort  of  reddish  brown  with  black  hairs 
mixed  in,  much  like  the  little  rodent  known  as  the  agouti) 
Dutch-marked  (in  the  way  of  the  rabbit  of  that  name), 
Tortoiseshell ;  and  all  the  colours  named,  with  the  addition 


20  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

of  White.  At  some  shows,  there  are  classes  provided 
for  nearly  all  the  colours  I  have  mentioned,  so  it  can  be 
realised  to  what  an  extent  the  Cavy  Fancy  has  grown,  and 
all  within  the  last  twenty  years. 

I  well  remember  when  the  first  pair  of  Red  Cavies  was 
brought  out ;  in  a  mild  way,  it  produced  quite  a  sensation. 
I  am  not  sure  of  the  man's  name — I  think  it  was  Hewson 
who  bred  them — but  heard  he  sold  them  with  ease  for  thirty 
pounds.  And  it  was  much  the  same  when  some  pure  Blacks 
appeared,  but  since  that  time  thousands  of  both  Reds  and 
Blacks  have  come  forward,  and  prices  have  fallen  accordingly. 

Then  there  was  a  great  run  on  Agoutis,  but  they,  too, 
have  multiplied,  and  only  very  perfect  specimens  of  either 
of  those  named  command  large  money. 

Really  good  Tortoiseshells,  and  well-marked  Tortoise- 
shell  and  Whites,  have  always  maintained  their  position, 
and  perhaps  sell  as  well  as  most  varieties. 

Also  correctly-marked  Dutch,  being  difficult  to  pro- 
duce, and  few  and  far  between,  have  a  good  market  value, 
but  only  at  the  largest  shows  are  classes  provided  for 
these  out-of-the-way  varieties.  They  have  consequently 
to  be  shown,  for  the  most  part,  in  the  Any  Other  Variety 
classes,  where,  however,  they  have  a  good  chance  of  coming 
to  the  front  if  the  judge  (who  often  has  to  take  the  Cats 
and  Rabbits  as  well)  happens  to  be  a  genuine  Cavy  fancier, 
and  not  devoted  to  either  Cats  or  Rabbits  in  particular. 

I  think  I  have  said  enough  of  the  several  subjects  of 
this  book  to  serve  as  a  sort  of  preliminary  canter,  and 
will  now  proceed  to  deal  with  each  in  their  order,  be- 
ginning with  Rabbits,  as  first  on  my  list. 


To  face  page  20. 


CHAPTER   II 

THE    LOP 

WHATEVER  differences  of  opinion  there  are — and  they 
are  many  and  great — about  a  variety  of  matters  amongst 
Rabbit  fanciers,  I  think  they  are  pretty  well  agreed  on  two 
matters,  namely,  that  the  Lop  is  the  oldest  variety  of 
fancy  Rabbit  known  in  this  country  and  that  it  is  of 
British  origin.  At  least,  I  have  not  heard  either  of 
these  points  disputed,  so  will  take  it  that  they  are  allowed 
by  all. 

In  the  early  days  of  my  Rabbit  keeping,  I  think  Lops 
were  held  in  much  more  estimation  than  they  are  now, 
and  this  may  be  owing  to  the  many  varieties  which  have 
been  brought  forward,  requiring  less  expense  to  keep,  less 
trouble  to  bring  to  perfection,  and  with  more  chances  of 
being  shown  early  in  their  career  and  often.  At  one 
time,  if  you  heard  of  a  high  price  being  paid  for  a 
rabbit  you  might  almost  take  it  for  granted  the  animal  in 
question  was  a  Lop,  but  of  late  years  I  expect  the  best 
sales  have  been  amongst  the  Belgian  Hares  and  Old 
English,  both  of  which  have  made  rapid  strides  in 
public  favour  and  consequently  increased  greatly  in  value. 

There  is  something  dignified,  substantial,  and  what  we 

21 


22  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

fancy  as  National,  about  a  well -shaped  Lop  with  its 
picturesque  ears  and  solid,  substantial  appearance,  which 
makes  it  different  from  any  other  variety,  and  its  votaries 
insist  upon  its  position  as  being  that  of  King  of  the 
Rabbit  tribe. 

This  being  a  variety  in  which  size  of  body  and 
strength  of  constitution  are  important  elements  ;  to  insure 
success  in  breeding  operations,  it  is  important  that  both 
parents  should  be  at  least  of  fair  quality  themselves  in  the 
points  desired  to  be  reproduced,  of  sound  health,  and  if 
possible  of  different  strains,  otherwise  the  offspring  are 
unlikely  to  turn  out  well,  or  be  of  much  value  for  breed- 
ing purposes  afterwards. 

It  is  recommended  that  sound  does  with  ears  of 
twenty-one  inches  should  be  mated  with  a  buck  of  not  less 
than  twenty-three  or  twenty-four  inch  ears,  as  being 
likely  to  have  litters  worth  keeping. 

Perhaps  the  majority  of  Lops  now  seen  are  not  of 
self  colours,  but  more  or  less  marked  with  white  ;  if, 
however,  it  is  desired  to  produce  specimens  of  self 
colours,  much  can  be  done  in  that  way  by  mating, 
choosing  both  parents  as  nearly  of  one  whole  colour  as 
procurable,  and  then  re-mating  some  of  the  offspring 
in  the  same  way. 

I  think  there  is  no  doubt  that  many  Rabbitries  in 
which  Lops  have  been  the  most  important  items  have 
been  kept  up  to  a  high  temperature,  as  being  thought 
inducive  to  the  growth  of  ear,  and  this  artificial  tem- 
perature has  caused  the  deaths  of  hundreds,  either  when 
removed  to  the  premises  of  purchasers  or  exposed  to  the 


THE  LOP  23 

still  greater  vicissitudes  of  the  show  pens.  I  am  not  an 
advocate  for  cold  housing  of  any  kind  of  fancy  Rabbit, 
nor  have  I  kept  my  own  in  any  but  stone,  brick,  or  well- 
built  wooden  houses  which  could  be  shut  up  at  night  or 
in  unfavourable  weather.  On  the  other  hand,  I  think 
as  much  harm  may  be  done  by  "  coddling,"  especially  with 
such  as  are  even  occasionally  exhibited,  when  we  know 
they  are  often  left  about  in  parcel  offices,  stations  and 
other  places,  going  and  returning  to  their  homes, 
and  many  of  the  shows  leave  much  to  be  desired 
in  the  care  taken  of  valuable  stock  entrusted  to  them. 

Although  there  is  such  disparity  in  size  between  the 
two  varieties,  which,  except  both  being  rabbits,  have 
little  else  in  common,  I  think  Dutch  does  are  the 
favourites  as  foster  mothers,  when  Lop  fanciers  require 
some  of  a  litter  to  be  taken  in  that  way.  There  is  some- 
thing eminently  maternal,  and  businesslike,  about  the 
little  Dutch,  which  seems  to  make  the  work  congenial  to 
them. 

Many  breeders,  when  the  youngsters  are  between  two 
and  three  months  old,  take  them  in  hand  with  a  view  to 
moulding  their  ears  into  a  graceful  carriage,  and  think 
that  by  so  doing  it  helps  the  ears  both  in  lengthening 
and  widening  ;  particularly  if  the  operation,  which  should 
be  for  a  very  short  time  at  first,  is  performed  in  a  warm 
room  on  each  occasion. 

In  the  old  books,  we  used  to  read  of  the  half  lop, 
where  one  ear  only  fell  at  the  side  of  the  head,  and  the 
oar  lop,  where  both  ears  stood  out  almost  at  right  angles 
on  each  side  ;  but  at  the  present  day  only  those  with  the 


24  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

whole,  or  perfect  lop  of  both  ears,  would  have  much 
attention  from  the  judges,  or  even  be  thought  good  enough 
for  the  breeding  pen. 

No  doubt,  there  would  be  a  chance  of  remedying,  or 
even  removing,  the  defects  of  carriage  before  mentioned, 
by  artificial  means,  such  as  caps,  weights,  etc.,  but  unless 
the  strain  is  a  valued  one,  of  which  specimens  are 
desired  to  be  perpetuated,  the  game  might  prove,  as  the 
saying  goes,  "  not  worth  the  candle." 

I  have  seen  sometimes  another  miscarriage  of  the 
ears  mentioned,  which  was  called  "  horn  lop,"  when  the 
ears  stuck  out  in  front,  after  the  manner  of  horns  ;  in  my 
opinion  this,  although  fortunately  by  no  means  common, 
is  the  ugliest  and  most  undesirable  of  the  three  kinds  of 
faulty  carriage,  and  I  should  think  the  most  difficult  to 
correct. 

As  I  wish  to  say  something  of  a  great  many  varieties 
I  have  not  the  space  to  give  the  opinions  of  the  leading 
breeders  of  all  of  them,  or  I  could  produce  any  amount  of 
evidence  that,  to  obtain  success  in  breeding,  it  is  not  of 
vital  necessity  that  the  parents  should  have  extraordinary 
ears,  either  in  length  or  width. 

But,  of  course,  when  the  stock  is  intended  to  be  sold, 
much  better  prices  can  be  obtained  for  the  progeny  of 
well-known  winners  ;  in  the  same  way,  there  is  more 
demand  and  better  fees  will  be  obtained  for  the  services 
of  a  sire  who  has  taken  good  prizes,  particularly  if  his 
stock  has  proved  of  good  quality. 

But,  for  my  own  part,  I  would  expect  just  as  good 
results  from  the  brother  or  father  of  the  winner,  and  in 


LOP-EARED   RABBIT— "  CH.    MAYFIELD   SURPRISE." 
Owners,  Messrs  Chadwick  and  Tuckett. 


LOP-EARED   RABBIT— "  CH.   CORONATION." 
Owner,  W.  C.  E.  Dibble. 


To  face  page  24. 


THE  LOP  25 

some  respects  they  are  even  better  for  the  purpose,  as  not 
being  in  so  much  request,  and  often  standing  at  lower 
fees.  This  I  have  proved  in  breeding  operations,  not 
only  with  Rabbits,  but  many  other  kinds  of  stock. 

I  would  advise  all  beginners,  whatever  kind  of  live 
stock  they  take  up,  to  get  well-bred  animals,  even  if  they 
pay  a  little  more  for  them  at  first,  as  they  will  be  the 
cheapest  in  the  end,  and  if  from  any  cause,  they  have  to 
be  disposed  of,  well-bred  stock  are  always  more  easily 
sold  than  those  half,  or  three-quarters,  bred. 

I  may  say  that  those  who  have  had  most  to  do  with 
Lops  do  not  advise  they  should  be  kept  in  the  same  house 
with  other  varieties,  but  if  it  is  not  convenient  to  have 
two  separate  houses,  part  of  it  may  be  partitioned  off ;  the 
reason  of  this  is,  that  Lops  undoubtedly  do  better  in  a 
house  where  the  temperature,  although  well-ventilated,  is 
never  cold. 

But,  with  many  of  the  other  varieties,  it  would  be 
more  or  less  injurious  to  them  to  be  "  mewed  up," 
being  of  a  more  hardy  nature,  and  active  in  their  habits. 

I  think  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  first  Societies  or 
Clubs,  as  they  are  now  called,  for  Rabbits,  were  for  Lops 
only,  and  at  one  time  mainly  confined  to  the  London  dis- 
trict, where  I  think  the  majority  of  the  Lop  fanciers  used 
to  reside.  Some  of  these  were  founded  more  than  sixty 
years  ago,  which  shows  how  long  this  particular  variety 
has  remained  in  favour. 

I  have  read  in  some  of  the  old  books  on  Rabbits, 
that  at  the  earliest  shows  a  rabbit  with  ears  measuring 
twenty-one  inches  was  a  certain  winner,  if  of  fair  quality 


26  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

in  other  respects,  but  we  know  how  greatly  things  have 
altered  in  that  way. 

We  sometimes  hear  of  twenty-eight,  and  even  twenty- 
nine,  inches  of  ear,  but  we  do  not  often  see  them,  yet  I 
have  even  in  1902  more  than  once  judged  classes, 
containing  youngsters  well  under  five  months  old,  whose 
ears  gave  an  easy  measurement  exceeding  twenty-six  inches 
in  length  by  six  inches  in  width,  and  possibly  another 
half  inch  would  have  been  stretched  each  way,  but  I 
am  not  in  favour  of  straining  them  beyond  reasonable 
limits. 

This  goes  to  prove  that  although  show  secretaries 
complain  with  good  reason,  the  Lop  Classes  fill  badly,  and 
therefore  few,  and  sometimes  none,  are  given  at  even 
good  shows,  still  there  are  some  enthusiastic  Lop  fanciers 
left  capable  of  bringing  out  good  stock,  when  the  classes 
and  prizes  offered,  and  the  judge  appointed,  are  considered 
satisfactory  for  their  entries  to  be  made. 

You  can  hardly  lay  down  any  positive  rule  on  the 
subject,  but  roughly  speaking  I  like  the  width  to  be 
about  a  quarter  of  the  length  of  the  ears  ;  of  course, 
specimens  vary  much  in  this  respect,  sometimes  one  with 
great  length  will  fail  in  width,  and  it  is  when  the  two 
combine  somewhat  in  the  proportions  stated  that  per- 
fection is  approached. 

For  my  own  part,  I  always  make  a  point  of  taking  the 
measurement  of  all  in  the  class — unless  some  have  short 
thick  ears  with  no  chance  of  getting  into  the  first  four  or 
five — and  then  go  through  the  best  four  to  select  the  three 
prizes  and  reserve. 


THE  LOP  27 

Colour  is  a  great  deal  a  matter  of  taste  ;  as  we  say  of  a 
horse,  it  may  be  said  of  a  Lop,  a  really  good  animal  is 
seldom  of  a  bad  colour. 

Perhaps  fawns,  either  self  or  with  white  markings, 
which  however  should  not  predominate,  are  much  in 
favour ;  but  1  have  seen  many  good  Blacks,  Smuts, 
Tortoiseshells,  and  Black  and  Whites,  which  have  been 
beautiful  animals. 

Shape  and  Condition  are  of  course  most  important. 
The  body  should  appear  lower  at  the  shoulders  and  arch 
nicely  over  the  hind  quarters,  with  straight  fore  and 
hind  legs,  flesh  firm  but  not  unduly  loaded  with  fat, 
large,  round,  rather  protruding,  than  inset,  eyes,  and  a 
general  expression  of  alertness  and  health  altogether. 

With  respect  to  the  feeding  of  Lops,  it  is  important 
it  should  be  varied  in  its  elements,  but  of  a  nourishing 
character.  Many  breeders  advocate  the  use  of  goats'  milk 
if  it  can  be  obtained,  and  the  youngsters  taught  to  drink  it 
even  before  they  are  weaned  from  their  mother,  but  if 
cow's  milk  be  used,  it  is  thought  better  to  boil  it  or  mix 
a  little  lukewarm  water  with  it. 

As  regards  feeding  of  the  adults,  I  think  sweet 
meadow  hay,  a  little  clover  hay-siftings  mixed  with  middl- 
ings, crumbling  but  not  wet,  is  a  good  early  morning 
meal ;  in  the  middle  of  the  day  the  meal  should  be 
mainly  of  green  food,  as  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  the 
natural  food  of  all  the  Rabbit  tribe  is  almost  entirely 
vegetable  in  its  raw  state.  I  prefer  broccoli,  cauliflower  or 
savoy  to  any  other  of  the  cabbage  tribe's  leaves,  but  I 
also  like  milk  and  sow  thistle,  plantains  and  dandelions. 


28  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

Of  course,  all  of  them  should  be  fresh,  but  never  given  in 
a  wet  state.  When  none  of  them  can  be  obtained,  I  use 
carrots,  white  for  choice,  and  even  slices  of  mangolds  and 
swedes. 

Green  clover,  and  chicory,  are  both  excellent,  and  all 
rabbits  are  fond  of  them  ;  the  latter  has  come  more  into 
use  of  late  years,  and  is  easily  grown  by  any  who  have 
the  ground  to  spare  for  its  culture. 

Some  breeders  use  a  great  deal  of  oats  with  their 
stock  ;  if  this  is  done,  they  should  be  the  heaviest  and 
best  white  oats  that  can  be  obtained.  All  owners  of 
horses  will  tell  you  how  greatly  oats  vary  in  quality, 
the  inferior  sorts  seeming  to  consist  mostly  of  husks,  and 
these  are  dear  at  any  price. 

When  oats  are  much  used,  the  stock  will  be  all  the 
better  with  a  little  water  to  drink,  once  or  twice  a  day,  as 
they  seem  to  require  it. 

It  is  better  to  give  them  as  much,  at  a  meal,  as  you 
find  they  consume,  so  that  there  is  an  empty  pan  when 
feeding-time  comes  round. 

Regularity  in  the  time  of  feeding  is  important,  the 
stock  soon  get  to  know  when  they  ought  to  be  fed  and 
are  on  the  look-out  for  the  feeder. 

The  last  meal  in  the  day  may  be  about  six  or  seven  in 
the  evening,  and  consist  of  much  the  same  as  the  mid-day 
feed,  except  that  nursing  does  may  have  a  few  grey  peas, 
which  have  had  twenty-four  hours'  previous  soaking  in  cold 
water  and  afterwards  strained. 

I  would  caution  any  novices  amongst  my  readers 
not  to  handle  their  stock  more  than  is  absolutely  necessary, 


THE  LOP  29 

at  any  time.  Not  to  interfere  with  a  newly-born  litter 
for  at  least  a  few  days  after  birth,  except  to  remove  any 
that  may  be  dead,  or  deformed.  Not  to  take  up  young, 
or  adults,  by  the  ears,  but  by  the  skin  of  the  back. 

And,  generally,  to  remember  that  rabbits  are  timid, 
nervous  animals,  requiring  gentleness  and  care  in  their 
treatment,  and  that  sudden  noises,  or  rough  usage,  cause 
them  much  annoyance  and  discomfort  which  must  be 
injurious  to  their  health  and  condition.  I  think  perhaps  I 
have  now  said  enough  for  my  purpose  about  Lops,  and 
will  give  the  standard  of  points  for  judging  them,  as  fixed 
by  an  old  friend  of  mine,  a  breeder  of  many  years*  experi- 
ence, and  with  which  I  am  so  much  in  agreement,  that  I 
do  not  think  I  can  improve  upon  them  :— 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE 

Points  of  the  Exhibition  Lop  Rabbit 

Length  of  ear           .         .          .         .          .20  Points 
Width  of  ear            .          .          .          .          .15,, 

Shape  of  body,  and  straightness  of  limbs    .10  „ 

Eyes,  as.  to  size,  shape,  and  colour     .                 5  „ 

Size 5 

Colour    .......       5  „ 

Carriage  and  general  appearance         .                 5  „ 


Total         65  Points 


CHAPTER   III 

THE    BELGIAN    HARE 

As  far  as  I  am  aware,  no  variety  of  the  Rabbit  family 
has  been  so  persistently  "  boomed,"  of  late  years,  as  the 
Belgian  Hare,  and  the  sensational  sales  at  high  figures, 
many  of  which  have  been  noticed  in  the  papers,  have 
attracted  notice  beyond  the  usual  fanciers'  circles. 

There  seems  to  be  a  general  concensus  of  opinion, 
that  the  variety  was  first  brought  to  any  degree  of  per- 
fection in  Belgium,  and  that  country  is  rightly  credited  as 
its  place  of  origin,  but  it  is  doubtful  if,  at  the  present 
time,  there  are  not  more  high-class  specimens  to  be 
found  in  this  country  and  America,  than  anywhere  else. 

It  is  stated  that  until  eleven  years  since,  Belgian 
Hares  were  practically  unknown  in  America,  and  were 
first  introduced  into  the  New  England  States  by  some 
importations  from  Great  Britain,  but  gradually  spread 
westward.  They  were  most  fully  appreciated  upon  reaching 
Los  Angeles,  California,  which  district  claims  to  have  the 
largest  Rabbitries  in  the  world,  mainly  devoted  to  the 
production  of  Belgian  Hares. 

Great  expense  and  care  have  been  incurred,  by  many 

3° 


THE  BELGIAN  HARE  31 

enthusiastic  fanciers  in  that  district,  to  obtain  the  best 
specimens  obtainable.  The  climate  seems  to  suit  them 
admirably,  and,  from  some  statistics  I  have  seen,  the 
results  appear  almost  incredible. 

In  1898,  a  few  pamphlets  and  newspaper  articles 
appeared,  and  some  advertisements  announced  the  arrival 
of  some  Belgian  Hares  at  Los  Angeles,  and  within  two 
years  afterwards,  it  was  stated,  there  were  no  less  than 
six  hundred  Rabbitries  there,  large  and  small,  mostly 
carrying  from  fifty  to  seventy  -  five  head  of  stock ; 
many  exceeding  one  hundred,  some  with  two  hundred, 
and  a  few  with  more  than  a  thousand  each!  It  was 
further  stated  that,  without  exaggeration,  there  were  in 
1900,  the  latest  date  of  which  I  have  obtained  particulars, 
over  60,000  Belgian  Hares  in  South  California  alone, 
and  the  number  constantly  on  the  increase  ! 

Up  to  that  time  the  development  had  been  chiefly  from 
the  fanciers'  standpoint,  but  the  merits  of  the  variety,  in 
a  utilitarian  respect,  were  receiving  more  attention,  with 
reason  to  expect  substantial  commercial  returns. 

"  The  American  Association  of  Belgian  Hare 
Breeders  "  is  an  influential  incorporated  body  of  fanciers, 
which  has  done  much  for  the  rapid  growth  of  the  fancy. 
It  held  an  Exposition,  Mart  and  Feast,  in  Hagard's 
Pavilion,  Los  Angeles,  California,  on  8th,  9th  and  loth 
February  1900.  It  was  perhaps  the  only,  certainly  the 
largest,  Exposition  ever  seen  anywhere  confined  to  one 
variety  of  Rabbit. 

I  understand  there  were  seventy  classes  at  the  show 
for  Belgian  Hares,  with  prizes  varying  from  two  and  a 


32  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

half  to  a  hundred  dollars  in  value,  besides  a  great  array  of 
specials  of  all  sorts  of  things,  offered  by  friends  interested 
in  the  breed. 

The  rules  at  this  Exposition  present  so  many  novel 
features,  as  compared  with  what  our  fanciers  are  accus- 
tomed to,  that  I  am  tempted  to  reproduce  them  here,  to 
show  what  is  being  done  "  on  the  other  side  of  the 
water." 


RULES  AND  REGULATIONS  GOVERNING  THE  AMERICAN 
BREEDERS  OF  BELGIAN  HARES'  FIRST  EXPOSITION, 
MART,  AND  FEAST,  to  be  given  at  Hazard's  Pavilion, 
Los  Angeles,  California,  8(h,  tyh  and  loth  February 
1900. 

The  Company  wishes  all  Exhibitors  to  understand, 
that  this  Exposition  is  a  business  affair,  and  will  be  con- 
ducted on  business  principles.  To  this  end,  an  Exhibitor 
may  use  any  amount  of  his  allotted  space  that  he  wishes 
as  an  office,  for  the  transaction  of  any  business  that  may 
be  carried  on  by  him. 

A  diagram  of  the  floor  space  of  the  Pavilion,  the 
Exposition  building,  may  be  seen  at  the  office  of  the 
Corporation,  Room  104,  Currier  Block,  Los  Angeles, 
California,  where  floor  space  for  exhibits  and  booths  may 
be  engaged. 

Mr  P.  E.  Crabtree,  of  Denver,  Colorado,  Official  Judge 
of  the  "  National  Belgian  Hare  Club,  of  America,"  will 
act  as  Judge  of  all  specimens,  judging  the  Belgian  Hares, 


BELGIAN   HARE— "CH.    FASHODA." 
Owners,  Bonanza  Rabbitry,  Los  Angeles. 


BELGIAN   HARE— "CH.   DASH." 
Owners,  Meadowbrook  B.  H.  Co.,  Los  Angeles. 


To  face  page  33. 


THE  BELGIAN  HARE  33 

both  standard  bred  and  heavy  weights,  entered,  by 
scoring,  and  all  other  classes  of  competitors,  by 
comparison. 

The  judging  will  be  done  in  public,  and  under  the 
management  of  a  Committee  of  prominent  citizens  of 
Southern  California,  who  will  be  required  to  direct  the 
presentation  of  the  specimens  in  such  a  manner  as  will 
preclude  any  possibility  of  the  Judge  knowing  whose 
animal  is  before  him. 

Numbers  will  be  used  to  designate  the  exhibits,  and 
these  will  not  be  placed  until  the  award  has  been  made. 

The  management  is  emphatically  determined  to 
obviate  every  possibility  of  dissension  between  the 
Exhibitors  and  the  Judge,  and  all  awards  will  be  made 
upon  pure  merit. 

The  commencement  of  the  judging  will  take  place  at 
nine  o'clock,  upon  the  opening  day  of  the  Exposition, 
February  8,  and  will  be  completed  at  the  earliest 
moment  possible. 

All  Premiums  will  be  paid  on  the  closing  day  of  the 
Exposition,  February  10. 

All  specimens  competing  for  prizes  must  be  in  their 
places  before  nine  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  8th 
of  February. 

All  animals  admitted  to  the  Exposition  must  be  in 
good  health. 

No  animals  suffering  from  chronic  ailments  will  be 
allowed  to  compete,  and  any  animal  that  becomes  sick 
after  being  entered  must  be  removed  at  once  to  secluded 
quarters. 


34  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

The  supervision  and  examination  of  the  health  of  the 
hares  will  be  in  charge  of  a  Committee,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Judge  Crabtree  and  the  Management. 

Each  Exhibitor  will  be  required,  on  making  entry 
of  Hares,  to  make  Affidavit  before  a  Notary  Public  as  to 
the  correctness  of  his  entries. 

The  Entrance  Fee  will  be  ten  per  cent,  of  the  amount 
of  the  purse,  in  each  Class,  and  this  amount  shall  be  paid 
at  date  of  entry. 

Exhibitors  may  rent  and  occupy  space  for  the 
purpose  of  exhibiting  stock  that  is  for  sale,  in  addition  to 
their  stock  entered  in  competition,  and  will  be  allowed  to 
make  sales,  and  deliver  Hares,  except  of  those  entered  in 
competition,  and  refill  the  vacant  places  with  other  Hares, 
at  any  time,  during  the  Exposition. 

Exhibitors  will  be  required  to  furnish  their  own  cages 
for  specimens,  and  these  cages  must  be  of  uniform  width 
and  height  ;  the  cages  must  be  two  to  two  and  a  half 
feet  wide,  and  twenty  inches  high,  if  two  tiers  of  cages  are 
used  ;  but  if  only  one  tier  is  used  it  may  be  forty  inches 
in  height. 

The  length  of  the  cage  may  be  made  to  suit  the 
space  used  by  the  Exhibitor.  Tables  to  place  the  cages 
upon  will  be  furnished  by  the  Management,  free  of  charge. 

The  construction,  and  arrangement,  of  the  Office  por- 
tions of  the  booths  will  be  at  the  pleasure  of  the  Ex- 
hibitor, and  be  complete  by  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning 
of  the  8th  February. 

Not  more  than  two  tiers  high  of  cages  will  be 
allowed. 


THE  BELGIAN  HARE  35 

Exhibitors  will  be  required  to  furnish  their  own  food, 
and  to  feed  and  water  their  own  stock,  and  keep  pens 
clean  ;  the  debris  being  carried  away  by  the  janitor. 
Sawdust,  or  Cut  Straw,  and  Dry  Earth,  will  be  furnished 
by  the  Management,  free. 

At  least  five  competitors  must  be  entered  in  each 
Class,  to  fill  out  said  Class,  except  where  otherwise  stated. 

For  Entry  Blanks,  enclose  stamp  or  call  upon  the 
Secretary,  or  General  Manager. 

The  score  of  an  exhibit  will  determine  the  Winner,  as 
in  individual  specimens. 

The  Exhibitor  must  provide  lock,  and  retain  key,  to 
his  cage,  or  cages,  of  Hares. 

A  Breeder  is  understood  to  be  one  who  either  breeds 
a  Doe,  owned  by  him  at  the  time  of  mating  ;  or  purchases 
a  Doe,  and  orders  her  bred  to  a  certain  Buck  ;  or  pur- 
chases a  Doe,  already  bred,  providing  he  is  impressed  of 
this  fact  before  purchasing,  and  is  also  impressed  as  to 
what  Buck  she  is  bred  to,  and  receives  a  Certificate  of 
Breeding  with  the  Doe. 

An  Auction  Sale  of  Hares  will  take  place,  each  day, 
during  the  Exposition,  at  1 1  o'clock  a.m.,  and  2  o'clock 
p.m.  Specimens  may  be  listed,  with  the  Entry  Clerk, 
on  the  day  previous  to  the  Sale,  and  at  a  fee  of  ten  per 
cent,  of  the  price  realised  from  the  Sale. 

Exhibitors  will  be  allowed  to  remove  valuable  Hares 
from  the  Show-room,  after  each  night's  exhibition,  and 
return  them  on  the  following  morning,  not  later  than 
eight  o'clock. 

Exhibitors  may  begin  the  arrangement  of  their  booths 


36  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

as  early  as  Wednesday  morning,  February  7,  and  every- 
thing connected  with  the  exhibit  belonging  to  Exhibitors 
must  be  removed,  from  space  occupied,  not  later  than  six 
o'clock  in  the  morning  of  February  12. 

Exhibitors  must  not  so  arrange  their  business,  and 
signs,  as  to  obstruct  the  view  of  other  booths,  either  in 
front  or  rear.  Any  reasonable  arrangement  will  be 
permitted. 

Entries  of  Hares  will  not  be  accepted  later  than 
5th  of  February.  Entries  may  be  made  by  telegraph  or 
by  letter. 

All  due  diligence  and  care  will  be  exercised  by  the 
Management,  to  protect  Exhibitors,  and  their  specimens, 
in  every  practical  manner. 

Further  than  this  the  Management  will  not  assume 
responsibility,  in  any  sense. 

A  sufficient  corps  of  assistants  will  be  employed  by  the 
Management,  both  day  and  night,  to  render  the  best 
possible  protection  to  Exhibitors. 

Any  ties  occurring  in  Classes  will  be  adjusted  by 
dividing  the  premium  equally  between  the  number  of 
Hares  showing  the  same  score  in  that  Class,  and  a 
Certificate  will  be  issued  by  the  Company  to  the  owner 
of  each  specimen,  setting  forth,  in  each  case,  the  conditions 
of  the  award. 

Exhibitors  entering  as  many  as  three  specimens  for 
competition,  or  occupying  purchased  space  at  a  cost  exceed- 
ing Six  Dollars,  will  be*  presented  with  a  Season  Ticket, 
admitting  them  to  the  Pavilion  at  all  times  during  the 
Exposition. 


THE  BELGIAN  HARE  37 

Medals  and  Cups  will  be  delivered  to  the  winning 
competitors  within  sixty  days  of  the  close  of  the  Exhibition, 
or  earlier,  if  possible  to  get  them  made. 

As  these  "  Rules  and  Regulations"  are  different,  and 
in  some  respects  more  stringent,  than  those  we  are 
used  to  in  this  country,  such  of  my  readers  as  may 
happen  to  be  Exhibitors  will  read  them  with  interest. 
Although  many  of  them  appear  rather  arbitrary,  still 
if  the  Exhibitors,  whose  entries  are  required  to  make 
the  show,  do  not  object  to  them,  no  one  else  has  any 
right  to  complain. 

The  very  fact  that  a  successful  Exposition  was  held, 
on  such  terms,  goes  to  prove  what  a  firm  hold  the  Rabbit 
Fancy  has  obtained  "over  there." 

The  Association  of  American  Breeders  of  Belgian 
Hares  makes  no  secrets  of  its  objects,  which  are  to 
advance  the  best  interests  of  the  Belgian  in  every  way. 
To  secure  the  best  strains  of  blood  in  the  world, 
crossing  them  with  their  home-bred  stock,  and  thus 
obtain  not  only  individuals  of  the  highest  excellence,  but 
of  best  possible  types. 

They  express  their  intention  to  protect  the  public, 
so  that  each  purchaser  of  Belgian  Hares  shall  get  just  what 
he  wants,  and  is  willing  to  pay  for  ;  to  produce  hares  that 
shall  be  worth  long  prices,  and  have  great  merit  as  beauti- 
ful specimens.  They  also  keep  in  view  the  commercial 
side  of  the  industry,  and  realise  that  ultimately  thousands 
of  hares  will  be  bred  and  sold  for  the  food  supply. 

They   mean  to  •  use  their  influence   towards  fairness 


38  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

and  honesty  in  dealing,  so  that,  whether  a  buyer  wants 
stock  for  show  purposes,  or  cheap  stuff  for  table  use,  he 
shall  receive  just  and  fair  treatment. 

For  this  purpose,  they  will  aid,  assist,  and  advise  all 
breeders  whom  they  find  worthy  of  confidence. 

They  consider  the  climate  of  their  country  is  well 
suited  for  the  objects  of  their  fancy,  and  although  they 
have  been,  at  the  outset,  at  considerable  expense  and  risk, 
in  importing  so  many  high-priced  specimens  from  Great 
Britain,  a  heavy  percentage  of  which  have  been  lost,  or 
suffered  from  their  long  journeys  by  sea  and  land,  they 
are  of  opinion  that  the  careful  crossing  of  new  blood  with 
their  native  strains,  assisted  by  their  mild,  open  climate, 
will  produce  as  good  and  hardy  specimens  of  the  variety 
as  can  be  found  anywhere. 

It  is  their  hope,  and  conviction,  that  their  country  may 
become  as  celebrated  for  its  Belgian  Hares  as  it  has  been 
for  its  Race  Horses,  and  that  they  may  be  able  to  send 
over  here  specimens  to  compete  for  International  Prizes 
at  our  best  shows. 

They  state  that  they  have  every  resource  at  command 
for  breeding  Belgian  Hares  on  a  wholesale  scale,  as  a  com- 
mercial commodity,  and  have  reason  to  believe  such  may 
be  done  with  all  prospects  of  success.  The  Association 
has  drawn  up  a  carefully- worded  scale  of  points  and 
description,  which  is  divided  into  two  sections,  one 
for  exhibition,  and  another  for  table  purposes,  so  I  think 
I  had  better  set  both  out,  as  it  is  more  than  possible 
some  of  my  readers  may  dispose  of  some  of  their  stock 
to  American  buyers,  and  by  consulting  the  Standards  of 


THE  BELGIAN  HARE  39 

Excellence  referred  to  they  can  see  how  they  approach,  or 
are  at  variance  with,  what  in  that  country  is  looked  upon 
as  correct. 

AMERICAN  STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  IN 
THE  BELGIAN  HARE 

Disqualifications. — (i)  Lopped  or  fallen  ear  or  ears  ; 
(2)  white  front  feet  or  white  bar  or  bars  on  same  ;  (3)  de- 
cidedly wry  feet  ;  (4)  wry  tail.  A  specimen  should 
have  the  benefit  of  any  doubt. 

» 
Points  of  Excellence 

Colour. — Rich  rufus  red,  not  dark  smudgy 
col  our,  carried  well  down  sides  and  hind  quarters, 
and  as  little  white  under  jaws  as  possible  .  20  Points 

Ticking. — Rather  wavy  appearance  and 
plentiful  .  .  •'.-'..  .  .  15  ,, 

Shape. — Body  thin,  well  tucked  up  flank, 
and  well  ribbed  up ;  back  slightly  arched, 
loins  well  rounded,  not  choppy  ;  head  rather 
lengthy,  muscular  chest,  tail  straight,  not 
screwed,  and  altogether  of  a  racy  appear- 
ance   20  „ 

Ears. — About  five  inches,  thin,  well  laced 
on  tips,  and  as  far  down  outside  edges  as 
possible,  good  colour  inside  and  outside,  and 
well  set  on  .  .  .  .  .  .  .10,, 

Eyes. — Hazel  colour,  large,  round,  bright 
and  bold  10 


40  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

Legs  and  feet. — Forefeet  and  legs,  long, 
straight,  slender,  well  coloured  and  free  from 
white  bars ;  hind  feet  as  well  coloured  as 
possible  .  .  .  .  .  .  .10  Points 

Size. — About  eight  pounds       .          .          .       5      „ 

Condition. — Not  fat,  but  flesh  firm  like  a 
race  horse,  and  good  quality  of  fur  .  5  ,, 

Without  dewlap        .         .         .         .  5      „ 


Total          100  Points 


BELGIAN    HARE — "  CH.    PRIORY   PRINCE." 
Owner,  E.  H.  Guy,  Reigate. 


BELGIAN    HARE — "LORD    LURGAN." 
Owners,  Lord  Lurgan  Rabbitry,  Los  Angeles. 


To  face  page  41. 


CHAPTER    IV 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  THE  HEAVY 
WEIGHT  BELGIAN  HARE 

Disqualifications. — ( i )  Lopped  or  fallen  ears  ;  (2)  white 
front  feet,  or  white  bar  or  bars  on  same  ;  (3)  decidedly 
wry  front  feet ;  (4)  wry  tail ;  (5)  mature  specimens 
weighing  less  than  ten  pounds.  A  specimen  should  have 
the  benefit  of  any  doubt. 

Description 

Colour. — Ticking  should  be  moderately  plentiful  and 
quite  wavy,  ranging  in  importance  as  to  quantity  in  the 
order  in  which  the  sections  are  here  named  : — viz.,  hips, 
back,  upper  sides  ;  it  should  not  extend  to  lower  sides, 
over  shoulders,  nor  on  breast  and  front  legs. 

Special  sections,  a  deep  cream  colour  under  jaws,  a 
bright  cream  colour  under  belly,  and  white  under  tail. 

Lacing,  dense  black,  extensive  in  length,  and  confined 
closely  to  edge  of  ear.  Colour  proper,  rich  rufus  red, 
not  smudgy,  and  free  from  dense  blue  under  colour. 

Size. — The  animal  should  be  long  in  vertebrae,  between 
couplings,  long  in  limb,  have  ears  five  and  a  half  inches, 
and  possess  large  eyes. 

Weight. — Eleven  pounds. 


42  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

Shape. — The  head  should  be  long  and  moderately 
coarse,  the  ears  not  too  thick,  the  eyes  round  and  bold, 
breast  full  wide,  evenly  carried  dewlap  ;  front  legs  and 
feet  coarse,  heavy  boned,  straight  and  firm  in  bone  and 
joint ;  body  round  and  massive,  a  continuous  arch  carried 
from  back  to  tail,  with  no  tendency  to  squareness  on  rump. 

Condition. — The  flesh  should  be  firm,  the  fur  in 
good  healthy  condition,  the  animal  moderately  close 
coated  and  tight  skinned,  thus  giving  it  an  active  alert 
appearance. 


Colour — 

Ticking  quantity . 
Ticking  quality    . 
Back  . 
Sides  . 

Hind  quarters 
Jaws  . 
Lacing 
Ears    . 
Belly  . 
Eyes  . 
Shoulders     . 
Front  legs  and  feet 
Hind  legs  and  feet 

Condition — 
Flesh 
Fur 


Size— 

5  Points  Length  of  vertebrae  3  Points 
5  „  Length  of  fore  legs  4 
Length  of  hind  legs  4 
Length  of  ears  2 
Size  of  eye  .  2 
Weight  of  specimen  4 

Shape — 

Head         .         .  4 

Breast        .         .  4 

Front  legs  and  feet  4 


4  » 

4  » 

4  » 

2  „ 

2  „ 

2  „ 


Ears 
Eyes 
Body 
Rump 

Quality — 
Fur  . 
Skin 


Total       100  Points 


Official  weight  at  maturity,  eleven  pounds  ;   official 


THE  BELGIAN  HARE  43 

age  at  maturity,  eleven  months  ;  official  cut  for  lacking 
weight  at  maturity,  half  a  point  to  the  quarter  pound,  or 
fraction  thereof,  and  in  immature  specimens,  half  as  heavy 
a  cut,  calculating  them  to  weigh  a  pound  for  every  month 
of  age. 

SCALE  FOR  RATING  FAT  HARES 

Dressed  Capons 

Best  portion  of  carcass,  ham  and  loins     .         .20  Points 
Quality  of  flesh,  size  of  bone  considered          .     20      „ 
Colour  of  flesh,  and  fat         .         .         .          .     20      „ 

Degree  of  fatness          .         .          .         .         .10,, 

Weight       .         .         .          .         .         .         .     20      ,, 

Manner  of  dressing  and  preparing  for  shipment     i  o      , , 


Total       100  Points 

Up  to  now  Americans  have  undoubtedly  proved  the 
best  buyers  of  valuable  stock  that  traders  in  this  country 
have  ever  met  with,  so  I  have  ventured  to  give  detailed 
particulars  of  their  views  about  this  variety,  as  I  have 
never  seen  them  set  out  in  any  work  on  Rabbits  hitherto 
published  here,  and  hope  they  may  be  of  service  to  some 
of  my  fellow  fanciers. 

The  Belgian  Hare  has  been  taken  up  much  more 
warmly  of  late  years  in  this  country,  more  especially  in 
the  South  and  West.  It  has  always  had  a  fair  amount  of 
support  in  the  North,  where  they  are  keen  fanciers  of 
Dogs,  Cats,  Rabbits,  as  well  as  Pigeons  and  some  varieties 
of  Poultry. 


44  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

At  one  time  there  was  a  good  deal  of  discussion  and 
controversy  carried  on,  as  to  whether  the  Belgian  Hare 
was  the  production  of  a  cross  between  the  Hare  and  some 
kind  of  Rabbit,  but  all  the  evidence  of  value  I  have 
examined  leads  me  to  disbelieve  it. 

We  know  how  closely  in  colouring  and  form  they 
approach  the  Hare,  but  their  ways  and  habits  are  more 
in  accordance  with  a  Rabbit  ancestry,  and  their  young  are 
different  to  leverets,  which  are,  to  all  intents  and 
purposes,  born  clothed  ;  whereas  all  rabbits  are  almost 
bare  of  any  covering  at  all. 

I  merely  mention  the  matter,  because  it  is  sometimes 
referred  to ;  for  my  own  part,  I  do  not  think  there  is 
much  in  it,  although  I  am  aware  many  persons  consider  the 
flesh  of  Belgian  Hares  superior  to  that  of  any  other  of  the 
Rabbit  tribe,  and  more  approaching  the  flavour  of  the  Hare. 

In  case  it  may  suit  the  convenience  of  some  of  my 
readers  to  try  the  experiment,  I  may  say  that  Belgian 
Hares  are  looked  upon  as  a  hardy  race,  where  they  can 
be  sufficiently  protected  from  climatic  vicissitudes.  They 
have  been  found  admirably  suited  for  life  in  woods  and 
warrens,  when  does  of  eight  months  old  or  more  have 
been  placed  out,  with  bucks  of  not  under  six  months,  of 
course,  the  number  of  the  former  considerably  in  excess  of 
the  latter.  They  must  all  be  looked  after  for  some  time 
after  they  are  located,  both  in  the  way  of  securing  them  a 
sufficiency  of  food  and  water,  and  guarding  against  their 
being  demolished  by  their  terrestial  and  aerial  enemies,  of 
which  they  have  so  many,  and  from  some  of  which  they 
possess  no  means  of  escape. 


BELGIAN    HARE— "SIR   STYLES." 
Owners,  Messrs  Brown  and  Westbrook,  Los  Angeles. 


BELGIAN    HARE — "LADY   DI." 
Owner,  C.  II.  Lane. 


To  face  page 


THE  BELGIAN  HARE  45 

All  rabbits  have  the  reputation  of  being  timid,  but 
this  variety  is  thought  exceptionally  so,  therefore,  noise, 
or  roughness,  should  be  most  carefully  avoided  in  all  deal- 
ings with  them,  especially  with  breeding  does,  or  serious 
results  may  ensue. 

Although  a  dewlap  does  not  amount  to  a  positive  dis- 
qualification, with  most  judges  it  has  considerable  weight 
against  a  specimen,  which  should  be  borne  in  mind  by  any 
purchasers  for  breeding,  or  show. 

Straight,  and  rather  fine,  lengthy,  fore  and  hind  legs, 
of  as  warm  a  shade  of  golden-reddish  tan  as  possible,  are 
points  to  be  sought  after. 

Length  of  body  with  hare-like  tickings,  on  back  and 
sides  in  particular,  and  a  shape  arching  over  the  rump, 
with  a  longish  rather  fine  head,  bold  bright  eyes,  medium 
length  ears,  with  dense  black  lacing  on  upper  edges,  give 
a  racy  look  to  the  animal,  which,  although  the  colouring 
is  plain  and  unostentatious  in  tint,  is  altogether  pleasing 
and  more  easy  to  appreciate. by  ocular  demonstration  than 
by  any  written  description. 

We  are  told  that  imitation  is  the  sincerest  flattery, 
and  we  should  therefore  feel  flattered  that,  the  Association 
of  American  Breeders  of  Belgian  Hares  have  practically 
adopted  the  standard  of  our  own  breeders,  for  the  perfec- 
tion of  this  variety. 

In  some  few  particulars  our  judges  attach  more  value 
to  one  point  and  less  to  another  ;  but,  as  to  the  general 
appearance  of  what  the  animal  should  be,  there  is  very 
little  difference  between  the  two. 

One  matter  I  should  mention  is,  that  the  more  room 


46  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

this  variety  has,  in  reason,  and  the  more  it  is  sheltered 
from  the  heat  of  the  sun,  the  more  likely  is  the  stock  to 
be  bright,  active,  and  lengthy  in  limbs,  all  desirable  to 
attain. 

If  hutches  are  used,  they  are  better  if  at  least  five 
feet  in  length,  by  two  feet  high,  and  wide  ;  if  convenient 
to  give  even  more  room,  all  the  better,  and,  in  fine  dull 
weather,  a  run  outside  will  do  them  a  lot  of  good,  and 
you  will  see  them  play  some  rare  antics,  as  in  many  cases 
they  are  as  light  hearted  as  kittens. 

I  do  not  know  that  I  need  say  anything  special  about 
food,  as  the  feeding  of  this  variety  is  much  the  same  as 
for  others  of  the  family ;  of  course,  bearing  in  mind  to 
increase  it  in  quantity,  and  quality,  when  the  does  are 
suckling  young. 

Many  breeders  contend  that,  with  the  possibilities  of 
breeding  valuable  prize  specimens,  and  the  almost  certainty 
of  producing  useful  stock  for  table  purposes,  more  profit 
can  be  made  from  Belgian  Hare  does  than  from  cows  ; 
if  the  amount  of  capital  invested  in  each  is  considered, 
and  the  cost  of  the  labour  required  to  care  for  them. 
And  they  also  say,  that  although  u  something  for 
nothing,"  or  "money  without  work/'  is  hardly  to  be 
expected  from  this,  any  more  than  any  other  industry, 
there  is  no  animal  that  will  give  a  quicker  or  better 
return. 

I  will  here  give  a  standard  of  the  points  to  be  sought 
for  in  this  variety,  as  set  out  by  a  man  I  consider  second 
to  none  in  his  knowledge  of  the  breed  and  the  high 
quality  of  the  specimens  he  has  produced.  I  have  slightly 


THE  BELGIAN  HARE 


47 


altered  some  of  his  figures,  but  only  rateably,  so  as  to  bring 
up  the  total  to  a  hundred,  rather  than  a  broken  number. 

STANDARD  OF  POINTS  FOR  JUDGING  EXHIBITION 
BELGIAN  HARES 

1.  Colour          .          .          .          .          .          .16  Points 

2.  Ticking         .          .         .          .         .  4       ,, 

3.  Eyes — roundness,  3  ;  size,  3  ;  brightness, 

1  ;  regularity,  I  .          .         .  8        „ 

4.  Ears — shortness,  3  ;  shape  and  position, 

2  ;  texture  and  edging,  3  .  .          .8       „ 

5.  Head — length,  5  ;  width,  3  ;  shape,  2     .      10       ,, 

6.  Feet  and  legs — straightness,  9  ;  free  from 

white,  6;  length,  3     .          .          .        .18        ,, 

7.  Neck — shortness,  4  ;  stoutness,  2  ;  chest, 

2  ;  shoulders,  2  10  ,, 

8.  Condition      .         .         .  .  15  „ 

9.  General  formation  of  carcass  .  .                 6  ,, 
10.   Without  dewlap      »          .  .  5  „ 

Total       100  Points 


CHAPTER    V 

THE    BLACK    AND    TAN    RABBIT 

THIS  must  be  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  latest  candidates 
for  favour  of  all  the  Rabbit  tribe,  as  there  is  no  record  of 
any  appearing  until  within  the  last  twenty  years. 

As  I  have  not  heard  of  any  importations  of  the 
variety  it  seems  to  be  generally  admitted  they  are  home 
productions,  the  result  of  some  cross  breeding,  but  there 
is  considerable  doubt  as  to  what  were  the  parents  of  the 
earliest  specimens. 

From  the  first  the  black  has  been  better  in  its  purity 
and  denseness  than  the  tan,  which  has  usually  failed  in 
brightness  and  evenness  of  tint.  Up  to  the  present 
time,  breeders  have  found  this  their  most  important 
obstacle  to  success,  as  well  as  the  keeping  the  black  from 
being  marked,  or  speckled,  with  tan  hairs. 

For  some  time  there  was  a  diversity  of  opinion  as  to 
the  size  of  specimens  for  show  purposes,  some  going  for 
those  from  five  to  seven  pounds  and  more,  and  others 
preferring  those  not  exceeding  five  pounds  in  weight. 

I  think  the  smaller  size  is  now  most  in  favour,  and 
that  rabbits  above  five  pounds  in  weight  must  be  un- 


BLACK   AND   TAN— "  IDEAL." 
Owner,  Rev.  W.  Mathias. 


BLUE  AND   TAN— "  CH.    PRESIDENT   LINCOLN 
Owners,  Messrs  Ovenden  and  Fawcett. 


To  face  page  48. 


THE  BLACK  AND  TAN  RABBIT  49 

usually  good  in  colour  and  other  respects,  to  have  much 
chance  against  smaller  specimens  of  fair  quality. 

Breeders  of  black  and  tans  seem  to  find  the  male  sex 
predominates  over  the  female  in  litters  of  this  variety. 
Consequently  there  are  often  a  great  number  of  young 
bucks  about  five  months  old  for  sale  at  moderate  prices, 
as,  at  that  age,  a  fair  estimate  can  be  formed  whether 
they  will  be  good  enough  to  keep. 

Purchasers  should  endeavour  to  see  the  parents  of  any 
stock  offered  to  them,  and  choose  the  offspring  of  the 
best-coloured  specimens.  For  breeding  take  a  buck  from 
one  strain  and  a  doe  from  another,  if  possible  both  good  in 
colouring,  but  if  not  possible  to  do  this,  get  a  buck  from 
a  well-tanned  strain  and  a  doe  from  a  strain  remarkable 
for  density  of  black  and  excellence  in  shape  and  type. 
I  would  rather  breed  from  a  rather  large-sized  doe, 
with  a  small  typical  buck,  than  the  reverse,  and  should 
expect  better  results. 

The  blue  and  tans — although  at  some  large  shows  at 
the  present  day  classes  are  provided  for  them — cannot  be 
treated  as  a  distinct  variety,  as  they  are  often  met  with 
in  litters  from  black  and  tan  parents. 

They  are  very  taking  specimens,  and  I  think  more 
often  purer  in  their  body  colour,  that  is,  less  sprinkled 
with  light  or  tanned  hairs  than  the  black  and  tans ;  and, 
for  this  reason,  a  fair  blue  and  tan,  with  decent  tanned 
markings,  will  often  be  put  before  a  black  and  tan  in  the 
show  pens. 

Neither  variety  are  very  early  in  development,  and 
consequently  it  is  not  wise  to  part  with  any  under  four 

D 


50  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

or  five  months  old,  as  it  is  almost  impossible  before  then 
to  judge  which  will  turn  out  to  be  the  most  valuable  to 
keep.  The  litter  should  not  be  taken  from  the  mother 
until  at  least  two  months  old,  and  they  should  not  be 
bred  during  the  cold  season  of  the  year  ;  between 
February  and  July  is  the  best  time  for  them.  They  are 
usually  susceptible  to  cold,  and  rather  liable  to  develop 
snuffles  if  not  well  cared  for. 

Two  great  points  to  be  aimed  at  in  breeding  this 
variety  (I  am  treating  black  and  blue  and  tans  as  one 
and  the  same  for  all  practical  purposes),  are  to  keep  down 
size,  while  preserving  colour  and  type. 

If  I  were  breeding  to  obtain  black  and  tans,  I  would 
act  as  before  stated  ;  but  if  trying  for  blue  and  tans,  I 
would  sooner  use  a  black  and  tan  buck  of  rich  colouring, 
with  blue  and  tan  doe,  than  use  two  blue  and  tans,  as  I 
think  by  doing  so  I  should  be  likely  to  get  blue  and 
tans  of  richer  and  purer  colour  ;  but  even  in  this  way 
there  would  probably  be  some  black  and  tans  in  the 
litter. 

This,  as  I  have  said,  being  a  variety  late  in  coming 
into  form,  it  is  not  wise  to  show  them  in  young  classes, 
unless  confined  to  black  or  blue  and  tans,  as  they  would 
be  heavily  handicapped  by  meeting  young  Lops,  Dutch, 
Himalayans,  and  others,  which  give  much  earlier  promise 
of  their  points  of  excellence. 

Both  black  and  blue  and  tans  are  decidedly  pretty 
animals,  if  correct  in  shape  and  colour,  but  may  be  looked 
upon  as  eminently  Fancy  Rabbits,  rather  than  kept  for 
utility. 


THE  BLACK  AND  TAN  RABBIT  51 

In  this,  as  in  all  fancy  stock,  if  a  breeder  desires  to  be 
able  to  sell  specimens,  he  must  exhibit  and  win  prizes, 
or  he  will  not  be  able  to  get  remunerative  prices  ;  but  it  is 
better  to  breed  from  does  after  they  have  won  a  few  good 
prizes,  if  possible  mating  them  also  to  prize-winning  bucks, 
than  to  attempt  to  show  and  breed  from  the  same  does. 

By  this  the  does  will  not  have  the  strain  of  the 
excitement  and  fatigue  attending  exhibition  life,  and  be 
more  likely  to  keep  in  form. 

I  do  not  know  of  anything  specially  to  be  said  about 
their  feeding,  except  that  it  should  be  sound  and 
nourishing,  with  plenty  of  green  food  during  the  summer 
months,  but  never  given  at  all  wet,  or  with  even  the  dew 
on  it. 

They  are  fairly  hardy  in  constitution  as  a  rule,  but 
not  a  variety  I  consider  suited  to  outdoor  hutches,  and  all 
draughts  or  cold  air  should  be  avoided.  They  are  active 
in  their  habits,  and  it  will  be  all  the  better,  if  convenient, 
to  give  them  plenty  of  room  for  exercise  ;  it  is  better  to 
separate  the  sexes,  and  keep  them  away  from  each  other 
before  attaining  six  months,  and  not  to  use  either  sex  for 
breeding  until  seven  or  eight  months  old,  especially  does. 

I  think  I  have  said  enough  in  a  general  way  about  this 
variety,  and  will  now  mention  what  are  the  main  points 
to  be  aimed  at  for  exhibition  stock,  and  give  a  standard 
for  an  ideal  specimen. 

The  colour  of  the  body  should  be  pure  glossy  black, 
or  darkish  slate  blue,  as  the  case  may  be,  on  back,  top  of 
head,  face  and  ears  (which  should  be  short  and  small)  ; 
there  should  be  a  triangular-shaped  mark,  like  the  letter 


52  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

"V,"  of  rich  golden  tan  colour,  at  back  of  neck;  the 
belly  should  be  pure  white  with  a  soft  shading  of  tan, 
where  the  black  of  body  colour  joins  it ;  the  colouring  of 
fore  feet  should  be  black  or  blue  and  tan  mixed  ;  the 
colour  of  chest  as  bright  tan  as  procurable,  and  a  small 
circle  or  ring  of  tan  round  each  eye. 

The  ears,  black  outside  with  tanned  insides  ;  and  the 
nostrils  of  rich  tanned  colour. 

Black  or  blue  should  predominate  in  the  colour  of  the 
sides  of  hind  feet,  but  the  upper  parts  should  be  of  rich 
tan,  and  the  same  shade  under  the  thighs.  The  eyes 
should  be  moderately  full,  dark  and  expressive.  The 
weight  should  not  exceed  five  pounds  for  a  matured 
specimen,  and  even  less  is  desirable. 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  BLACK 
AND  BLUE  AND  TAN  RABBITS 

Head  (smallness  and  neatness)       ...        5   Points 
Ears  (size  and  colour,  outside  and  inside)       .10       „ 
Eyes  (with  markings  round  them)         .  5       „ 

Shape  of  body  (with  colour  of  chest  and  top 

of  shoulders)  .  .  :  , -  •-  -,v  .  .  25  ,, 
Fore  legs  and  feet  (with  shape,  size  and 

markings)  .  ,  ,  :,.  V'i  .  .10,, 
Hind  legs  and  feet,  and  thighs,  with  markings  15  ,, 
Condition  .  .  .  -  •,.  .  .  .  20  „ 
Size,  not  exceeding  five  pounds  .  .  ...  10  „ 


Total        100  Points 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE    PATAGONIAN    RABBIT 

ALTHOUGH  this  variety  is  named  after  a  district  in  South 
America,  I  have  never  heard  of  any  specimens  being 
imported  from  that  part  of  the  world,  but  they  have  been 
extensively  bred  on  the  Continent  of  Europe,  more 
especially  France. 

From  the  fact  that  they  have  been  little  in  demand 
for  exhibition,  and  almost  entirely  bred  for  table  use, 
there  has  not  been  much  trouble  bestowed  on  keeping  the 
strains  pure,  and  they  have  been  crossed  with  both  Belgian 
Hares  and  Flemish  Giants,  from  time  to  time. 

In  colouring  it  much  resembles  the  wild  rabbit,  but 
has  more  of  iron  grey  in  its  tints,  and  often  appears 
freckled  or  mottled  in  hue.  The  belly  is  generally 
almost  white  in  shade. 

The  carriage  of  the  ears  is  one  peculiarity  of  the 
variety.  While  stout  and  strong  in  substance,  and  wider 
than  most  others,  they  do  not  seem  as  stiff,  and  frequently 
have  a  bent  and  broken  appearance,  making  them  hang 
over  at  tips,  as  though  overpowered  by  their  length  and 
weight.  They  are  large,  massive  rabbits,  and  it  is  not  at 

53 


54  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

all  unusual  for  specimens  fattened  for  the  table  to 
make  up  to  seventeen  pounds  and  upwards. 

It  is  desirable  to  give  breeding  does  large  hutches, 
from  five  to  six  feet  in  length,  with  about  one  third 
partitioned  off  for  sleeping  box,  the  aperture  into  which 
should  be  large  enough  to  admit  the  rabbit  without 
touching  her  large  semi-erect  ears.  They  are  rather 
lumbering  clumsy  animals,  and  not  likely  to  trouble 
about  lowering  their  heads  when  going  in  or  out  of  a 
doorway. 

They  are  usually  good  tempered  and  docile,  kind  and 
attentive  mothers,  but  if  cramped  for  room,  sometimes 
cause  injury  to  their  young  by  stepping  or  lying  upon 
them. 

They  are  found  to  breed  very  true  to  colour  when 
properly  mated  ;  the  sandy  colour  sometimes  seen  is  not 
desirable,  and  is  thought  to  be  the  result  of  a  former 
cross  with  the  Belgian  Hare.  Shades  of  grey  only  are 
preferred,  except  on  the  belly  and  under  parts,  where 
white  and  pale  yellow  is  allowable,  but  the  general 
appearance  of  the  rabbit  is  grey,  rather  deeper  and  richer 
than  in  its  wild  cousin.  Of  course  a  variety  of  shades 
will  be  found,  even  in  members  of  the  same  litter,  but  the 
more  uniform  they  are  in  this  respect  the  better. 

As  a  rule  the  does  do  not  have  such  large  litters  as  in 
some  other  varieties,  perhaps  from  five  to  seven  on  an 
average. 

In  feeding  and  general  management,  except  as 
mentioned  about  size  of  hutches,  what  I  have  said 
respecting  Belgian  Hares  will  apply  to  Patagonians, 


THE  PATAGONIAN  RABBIT  55 

which  although  such  large  animals  are  not  found  to  be 
proportionately  large  eaters,  and  are  so  hardy  in 
constitution,  that  when  provided  with  some  protection 
against  wet  or  very  cold  weather,  have  been  found  to  do 
well  in  the  open. 

But  if  this  is  done,  a  suitable  season  in  the  late  spring 
or  early  summer  should  be  chosen,  and  the  young  stock 
intended  to  be  turned  out  acclimatised  for  a  while  in 
outside  hutches.  The  place  for  the  change  should  be  as 
warm  and  sheltered  as  possible,  protected  with  wire 
netting  let  deep  into  the  ground,  and  supported  with 
stakes  at  intervals  to  guard  against  the  entry  of  un- 
desirable visitors  of  all  kinds. 

The  early  part  of  the  year,  after  February,  is  thought 
the  best  time  to  commence  breeding  operations,  and  if 
the  stock  is  mainly  meant  for  table  purposes,  keep  a 
number  of  youngsters  together  in  a  shed,  or  room,  where 
plenty  of  suitable  food,  such  as  sweet  hay,  crushed  oats, 
milk  and  sow  thistles,  plantains,  dandelions,  etc.,  are 
provided,  avoiding  such  as  are  too  aperient  in  nature. 

Almost  any  time  between  three  and  six  months  old 
they  may  be  put  up  for  fattening,  when  those  selected 
should  be  moved  into  separate  hutches.  Oats  and 
barley  are  good  staples  for  their  food,  but  a  little  meal 
may  occasionally  be  given.  If  they  have  been  used  to  a 
little  oil  cake  it  will  have  a  good  effect  in  increasing 
weight,  but,  of  course,  the  taste  for  it  must  be  acquired. 

Almost  every  house  has  crusts  and  ends  of  bread 
which  are  not  valued,  and  Patagonians  are  very  fond  of 
these,  and  this  addition  to  the  diet  of  those  being  fattened 


56  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

has  been  found  to  produce  beneficial  effects  in  their 
condition. 

I  think  the  great  point  to  be  considered  is  to  give  as 
much  variety  in  food  as  possible,  provided  it  is  of  a 
nourishing  character,  and  such  as  they  will  eat  with  an 
appetite. 

I  like  to  see  any  kind  of  animal  or  bird  of  mine 
take  their  food  readily,  and  as  if  they  enjoyed  it ; 
knowing  there  is  not  often  much  the  matter  when 
that  is  the  case. 

As  in  some  of  the  other  large  breeds  used  for  the 
table,  gelding  is  sometimes  adopted  when  great  size  is 
desired  ;  the  operation,  which  should  be  performed  by  a 
practised  hand,  may  take  place  when  they  are  put  up  for 
fattening. 

I  should  have  said  that  boiled  potatoes,  mixed  with  a 
little  barley,  or  oatmeal,  and  given  lukewarm,  are  useful 
additions  to  the  tariff,  when  fattening ;  and  they  are 
partial  to  a  little  milk  occasionally,  particularly  with 
some  sugar  mixed  with  it. 

Straw  will  be  found  better  than  hay,  or  other  material, 
for  such  as  are  confined  in  hutches,  and  if  well  supplied 
with  hay  they  will  not  be  likely  to  eat  their  beds. 

One  of  the  main  points  to  be  sought  in  this  variety, 
after  size,  is  to  get  as  much  uniformity  in  colour,  with 
large,  strong,  lengthy  ears  ;  the  eyes  appear  set  rather 
wide  apart,  and  the  head  large  and  very  wide. 

In  shape  Patagonians  run  rather  wide  from  the  neck 
to  the  loins,  with  heavy  hind  quarters  and  large  hips,  the 
bones  of  which  are  very  noticeable. 


THE  PATAGONIAN  RABBIT 


57 


There  is  a  dignified,  comfortable  appearance  about  a 
Patagonian,  which  is  very  pleasant  to  see.  As  a  rule, 
it  is  not  timid,  or  averse  from  being  made  much  of,  and 
it  is  not  often  found  quarrelsome  or  disagreeable  with 
its  companions. 

The  following  scale  of  points,  suggested  by  one  who 
has  had  much  experience  of  the  variety,  may  be  of  service 
to  my  readers  : — 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  PATA- 
GONIAN RABBITS 


Head  (size,  shape,  colour)   . 
Ears  (colour,  size,  shape)     .         -* 
Eyes  (largeness,  fulness,  shape)     . 
Body  (shape)       .         .[     ..',       , 
Colour  (evenness  in  shade)  . 
Condition  and  general  appearance 
Size,  exceeding  ten  pounds  . 


5  Points 

10 

10 
10 

25 
10 

30 


Total        100  Points 


CHAPTER   VII 

THE    JAPANESE    RABBIT 

As  far  as  I  remember,  this  is  the  latest  variety  we 
have  seen  in  this  country,  and  it  is  not  by  any  means 
common  now. 

I  have  not  heard  of  any  being  seen  in  Europe  prior 
to  1893,  and  they  were  looked  upon  as  great  curiosities, 
which  is  partly  accounted  for  by  their  peculiar  appear- 
ance. 

I  believe  it  to  be  rightly  named,  and  that  the  first 
specimens  seen  in  Europe  were  really  imported  from 
Japan,  which  interesting  kingdom  still  breeds  the 
variety  in  considerable  numbers,  but  for  utilitarian 
purposes  only.  I  have  not  heard  of  any  exhibitions  of 
live  stock  there,  although  we  know  that  the  Japanese  are 
more  progressive  and  enterprising  than  any  other  of  the 
Eastern  nations,  and  have  adopted  many  of  the  customs 
and  institutions  of  the  West ;  and  it  would  probably  be 
found  that  the  Japanese  who  read,  speak  and  write 
European  languages  are,  at  least,  in  the  proportion  of  one 
hundred  to  one  of  the  Europeans  who  can  do  the  like  in 
Japanese  ! 

58 


TYPICAL  JAPANESE   RABBIT. 


TYPICAL    PATAGONIAN    RABBIT. 


To  face  page  58. 


THE  JAPANESE  RABBIT  59 

This  variety  is  credited,  with  being  gentle  and 
docile  in  temperament,  good  breeders,  excellent  mothers 
and  moderate  eaters,  but  not  dainty  in  their  diet.  They 
have  proved  themselves  sufficiently  hardy  to  do  well 
in  outside  hutches,  of  course  protected  against  wet  or 
cold  weather,  and  not  difficult  to  breed  and  rear.  Being 
of  active,  lively  habits,  they  are  best  kept  in  roomy 
hutches,  as  they  otherwise  have  a  tendency  to  develop 
dewlaps,  which  are  not  desirable  in  the  breed.  There  is 
much  of  the  Dutch  Rabbit  in  the  shape  of  this  variety, 
but  there  the  likeness  ends,  as  mature  specimens  are 
usually  much  larger  and  heavier  animals  than  the  Dutch 
seen  at  our  shows.  This  is  such  a  very  recent  arrival  in 
this  country  that  little  is  known  about  it,  with  certainty, 
as  there  are  few  persons  with  any  practical  experience  in 
regard  to  it,  nor  am  I  aware  that  any  attempt  has  been 
made  to  fix  a  standard  by  which  specimens  should  be 
judged. 

Unfortunately,  some  of  the  earliest  importations  were 
not  kept  as  pure  as  they  might  have  been,  but  crossed 
with  other  varieties,  which  has  increased  the  difficulties  of 
intending  fanciers. 

If,  however,  some  energetic  breeders  will  take  the 
matter  in  hand,  it  will  be  interesting  to  see  a  new  variety 
brought  forward  which  seems  to  have  many  points  in  its 
favour. 

For  the  information  of  such  of  my  readers  who 
have  not  seen  any  specimens,  I  give  a  brief  description  of 
its  appearance. 

The  head  is   large,  and  the  ears  strong,  thick,  with 


60  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

black  lacings  at  upper  edges  ;  legs  rather  short,  thick, 
straight,  and  muscular  ;  eyes  dark  and  not  very  pro- 
minent ;  coat  rather  open  in  character,  but  soft  and  fine 
in  texture  ;  the  colour  is  rather  uncommon,  all  the  belly 
and  underneath  parts  being  fawn,  while  the  back  is  a  rich 
orange,  with  belts  or  stripes  (usually  two)  of  black  round 
the  body,  commencing  behind  the  shoulders,  and  down 
each  side,  joining  the  fawn  on  belly ;  there  is  a  black 
smutty  mark  on  the  nose,  and  above  it  a  white 
spot,  which  is  the  only  white  allowable,  the  other 
colour  beings  fawn,  orange,  and  black,  distributed  as 
mentioned. 

It  will  be  gathered,  from  the  foregoing  slight  sketch, 
that  this  variety  is  of  quaint  and  striking  appearance.  I 
have  said  that  very  little  is  yet  known  about  it  in  a  general 
way,  and  it  remains  to  be  seen  if  it  will  be  taken  up, 
either  for  show  or  utility  purposes ;  for  both  of  which  it 
offers  advantages,  being  said  to  be  hardy  in  constitution, 
quite  out  of  the  common  in  its  markings  and  aspect, 
and  of  sufficient  size  to  make  it  useful  for  the 
table.  Being  a  large  variety,  averaging  when  matured 
some  ten  or  twelve  pounds,  of  course  they  should  be 
given  large  roomy  hutches,  where  they  would  take  plenty 
of  exercise,  and  I  should  think  they  would  be  suited  with 
much  the  same  treatment  as  suggested  for  the  Pata- 
gonians,  and  make  up  into  handsome  specimens. 

I  append  a  reproduction  of  the  best  portrait  I 
have  been  able  to  obtain,  of  a  typical  representa- 
tive of  the  variety,  which  will  give  some  idea  of  its 
appearance. 


THE  JAPANESE  RABBIT 


61 


STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  JAPANESE 

RABBITS 


Head,  large  and  substantial  . 
Ears,  strong,  thick,  and  with  black  lacing 
Eyes,  as  to  colour  and  prominence       ... 
Body,  legs  and  feet      .         .          .          . 
Condition  and  general  appearance  .         ,  ; 
Size  not  less  than  ten  pounds  for  adults 
Colour  and  markings  .         .       ,  .••     g  .  - 


10  Points 

10  „ 

10  „ 

J5  » 

10  „ 

20  „ 

25  „ 


Total       100  Points 


CHAPTER    VIII 

THE     POLISH     RABBIT 

THIS  variety,  as  far  as  my  experience  goes,  is  neither 
so  extensively  kept  or  shown,  as  it  was  some  years 
since,  and  yet  it  has  many  good  qualities.  The  animals 
are  neat  and  pretty  in  themselves,  may  be  bred  to  a 
weight  making  them  useful  for  table  commodities,  and 
their  fur,  from  its  purity  and  colour,  can  be  turned  to 
good  account,  when  produced  in  sufficient  quantities  for 
the  furriers.  I  have  been  given  to  understand  they  are 
largely  bred,  on  the  Continent  of  Europe,  for  the  latter 
object. 

As  to  its  place  of  origin,  it  has  been  doubted  by 
many  whether  it  really  was  a  native  of  Poland,  but  it  is 
not  material  to  go  into  the  question  ;  it  is  certain  the 
variety  has  been  bred  more  or  less  extensively  in  Europe 
for  the  last  fifty  years,  and  has  been  during  all  that 
period  known  as  Polish. 

No  doubt,  its  resemblance  to  what  was  known  as 
the  common  white  rabbit,  probably  derived  from  albino 
specimens  of  the  wild  bunnies,  has  been  against  it,  but 
there  are  several  marked  distinctions  which  may  be 
noticed  between  them. 

62 


THE  POLISH  RABBIT  63 

The  Polish  is  more  elegant  in  shape,  not  so  long  in 
body  or  legs,  shorter  in  neck,  purer  and  more  even  in 
colour,  and  what  some  describe  as  more  snaky  in  out- 
line, and,  although  not  heavy  looking,  weighs  more 
than  its  appearance  suggests. 

The  eye  of  the  Polish  is  a  lighter  shade  of  pink  than 
seen  in  any  of  the  other  varieties  with  such  colour  ;  the  fur 
is  short  and  of  a  chalky  white,  without  shade  or  tint,  which 
contrasts  with  almost  any  other  white  rabbit  in  this  respect, 
and  gives  it  an  appearance  of  its  own,  but  somewhat 
difficult  to  describe  on  paper. 

I  should  not  call  it  one  of  the  hardy  sort,  and  it  does 
better  in  indoor  hutches,  being  susceptible  to  cold  and 
wind.  As  it  is  active  in  habit,  it  should  have  plenty  of 
hutch  room  ;  I  have  found  them  rather  shy,  and  not 
caring  about  much  notice  or  handling,  but  docile  and 
easily  managed. 

It  is  a  prolific  breeder,  with  litters  averaging  five  or 
six  in  each  ;  the  does  make  good  and  attentive  mothers. 
They  are  placed  by  many  persons  second  only  to  the 
Dutch  as  foster  mothers;  some  are  kept  in  Rabbitries 
for  this  purpose  alone,  and  found  very  useful.  The 
young  when  born  are  of  a  delicate  pink  tint,  and  for 
some  days,  until  the  white  begins  to  appear,  very  little 
difference  can  be  seen  in  them.  The  mothers  are  very 
jealous  of  any  interference  with  their  young,  and  are  best 
left  alone,  as  much  as  possible,  at  this  time  ;  they  are  so 
assiduous  in  their  maternal  duties,  that  they  should  be 
well  kept  up  with  nourishing  food  when  they  are  suck- 
ling, or  their  health  may  be  endangered. 


64  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

At  five  or  six  weeks  old  some,  at  least,  of  the  young 
may  be  taken  away  for  weaning,  leaving  a  few  of  the 
most  promising  a  week  or  two  longer  with  the  doe. 
When  removed,  a  number  of  the  youngsters  may  be  run 
together  in  a  room  or  shed,  where  they  can  have  plenty 
of  space  for  growth  and  exercise  until  they  are  about  four 
months  old.  Then  the  bucks  should  be  separated  from 
the  does,  and  hutched  separately,  but  the  does  may  con- 
tinue to  run  together,  unless  found  to  quarrel,  as  is  not 
often  the  case  with  them.  The  spring  of  the  year  is  the 
best  time  to  begin  breeding  operations,  and  does  of  eight 
or  nine  months  are  thought  better  than  those  younger, 
mated  with  bucks  of  not  less  than  six  or  seven  months. 
This  variety  is  not  one  in  which  crossing  has  been  found 
beneficial,  although  experiments  have  been  made  with 
several  sorts.  It  is  best  to  keep  them  pure,  of  course, 
with  introduction  of  fresh  blood  occasionally  to  avoid 
inbreeding. 

As  an  article  of  food  the  flesh  of  the  Polish  is 
esteemed  as  being  very  palatable,  and,  as  mentioned,  the 
fur  has  a  market  value,  when  produced  in  quantities 
acceptable  to  the  trade. 

I  think  it  may  be  of  interest  to  my  readers  if  I  quote 
the  views  of  my  old  friend,  Enoch  Hutton,  F.Z.S., 
upon  this  variety.  He  has  been  an  extensive  breeder  of 
Polish,  and  had  a  long  experience  with  them,  and  has 
suggested  a  very  elaborate  standard  by  which  they  shall  be 
judged.  I  consider  his  opinion  on  the  matter  is  deserv- 
ing of  attention  and  consideration,  as  he  has  often 
had  large  classes  before  him  as  judge,  particularly 


POLISH   RABBIT. 
A  big  winner.     Owner,  Geo.  Dickinson. 


POLISH   RABBIT — "LORD   RICHARD." 
Owner,  C.  II.  Lane. 


To  face  page  64. 


THE  POLISH  RABBIT  65 

in  the  North  and  Midlands,  where  he  so  often 
officiates. 

"This  is  one  of  the  most  common  of  domesticated 
rabbits,  its  principal  characteristic  being  the  purity  of  the 
snowy  whiteness  of  its  coat.  It  looks  as  though  it  was 
delicate  in  constitution,  yet  the  contrary  is  the  case.  As 
a  rule,  it  is  very  hardy,  requiring  little  or  no  attention, 
beyond  perfect  cleanliness,  sufficient  room  and  a  due 
regard  to  food. 

"  Why  designated  Polish  I  must  confess  myself  at  a  loss 
to  understand,  for  though  no  doubt  many  specimens  have 
been  imported,  and  perhaps  some  from  Poland  and  Russia, 
yet  I  could  never  ascertain  that  they  are  more  plentiful 
there  than  elsewhere. 

"But  I  will  not  quarrel  with  the  name,  as  I  suppose, 
like  everything  else,  it  must  have  some  appellation,  and 
why  not  Polish  as  well  as  any  other  ;  even  if,  as  in  the 
case  of  the  Hamburgh  Fowl,  it  be  scarcely  known  in  the 
locality  from  which  it  takes  its  name? 

"  Upwards  of  thirty  years  ago  I  had  them  in  large 
quantities,  the  does  frequently  producing  as  many  as 
eleven  at  a  birth,  very  few  being  lost  in  rearing,  and 
seldom,  or  ever,  any  deviation  or  sport  from  the  parental 
colour. 

"As  a  matter  of  course,  its  fur  must  be  of  snowy 
whiteness,  very  short,  fine  and  thick,  and  close  at 
the  bottom,  with  no  approach  to  wiry  coarseness  inter- 
mixed. 

"  As  in  all  cases  where  the  fur  and  flesh  are  the 
only  value,  I  go  in  for  size  in  preference  to  the 


66  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

smaller  specimens  ;  and  if  other  points  be  kept  to, 
I  should  in  all  cases  prefer  the  large  ones  for  the  show 
pen. 

"  Many  are  not  more  than  three  pounds  in  weight, 
and  these  as  a  rule  at  the  present  day  are  the  best 
in  other  points,  so  that  if  they  were  bred  equally 
good,  and  with  size  in  addition,  they  must  be  of  more 
value. 

"  I  have  seen  them  quite  up  to  ten  pounds,  but  seldom 
one  of  more  than  eight  pounds  that  was  fit  to  win,  so  that 
I  should  say  about  eight  pounds  as  the  standard  weight, 
allowing  fifteen  points  for  it. 

"  If  this  be  attained,  while  I  would  insist  upon  neatness, 
fineness  of  bone,  etc.,  as  indispensable  for  a  winner,  it 
would  go  a  very  long  way  in  placing  a  rabbit  at  any 
show. 

4 'In  shape  they  should  be  rather  long,  short  on  the  legs, 
fine  in  bone  ;  ears  short,  neat  and  pointing  forwards,  per- 
fectly straight,  and  rather  broad  and  open  towards  the 
top,  and  showing  the  pinkness  of  the  flesh  through  the 
fur. 

"  Head  of  moderate  size,  and  rather  inclined  to  be 
small  than  large  ;  neck  deep  and  hind  quarters  rather 
high. 

"  The  eyes  should  be  very  large,  bright,  of  a  beautiful 
pale  pink,  and  prominent.  The  eye  and  the  purity  of 
colour  are  leading  features. 

' '  The  disqualifications  are,  cloudiness  of  coat,  spots  on 
coat,  eyes  other  than  pink,  crooked  legs,  and  lop  or  half 
lop  ears. 


THE  POLISH  RABBIT 


67 


"  STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE 
"Points  of  the  Exhibition  Polish  Rabbit 

Colour,  white     .         .         .         .  .  .10  Points 

Coat,  whiteness  .         .         .         .  .  .10,, 

Coat,  fineness     .         .         .         .  .  j       ,, 

Coat,  closeness    .         .         .         .  .  5       „ 

Size,  when  eight  pounds      .         .  .  -15       » 

Head,  moderate  .         .          .  .  .        5        „ 

Ears,  small,  neat  and  open  to  front  .  .10       ,, 

Eyes,  large,  bright,  and  pale  pink  .  .10       „ 
Eyes,  prominence  5       „ 

Legs  and  feet,  small  and  neat        .  .  .10,, 

Carriage  and  general  appearance  .  .  5       „ 

Condition  and  cleanliness  10 


"Total     i oo  Points" 


CHAPTER    IX 

THE    SIBERIAN     RABBIT 

I  SHOULD  not  call  this  at  all  a  common  variety,  although 
specimens  have  been  seen  for  a  good  many  years,  but  it 
has  never  "  caught  on  "  in  this  country  as  it  has  on  the 
Continent,  'especially  in  France,  where  it  has  many 
admirers,  amongst  the  lovers  of  rabbits  there. 

It  certainly  has  a  striking  and  rather  distinguished 
appearance  about  it,  and  with  quite  a  foreign  look,  which 
is  in  its  favour  with  some  people. 

Some  authorities  doubt  whether  Siberia  was  really  its 
place  of  origin,  but  it  has  always  been  a  prime  favourite 
with  the  fanciers  of  the  Continent  of  Europe  generally, 
and  it  is  quite  possible  it  has  been  correctly  named. 

Wherever  it  came  from,  in  all  probability  it  was  pro- 
duced by  a  cross  between  a  Himalayan  and  an  Angora, 
most  likely  a  buck  of  the  former  mated  with  a  doe  of 
the  latter  variety. 

It  is  one  of  what  I  should  call  the  essentially  pet 
rabbits,  being  handsome  and  showy,  docile  and  good- 
tempered,  rather  lethargic  and  comfortable-looking  in 
habit,  and  as  a  rule  not  averse  to  being  carried,  fondled 
and  groomed  by  its  owners.  These  characteristics  make  it 
suitable  for  those  who  desire  to  have  a  pretty  pet  animal  to 
feed  and  care  for,  but  have  no  desire  to  exhibit  it. 

I  do  not  remember  to  have  seen  classes  for  them  at  any 

68 


THE  SIBERIAN  RABBIT  69 

of  the  shows,  all  I  have  met  with  have  been  either  in  the 
possession  of  non-exhibitors,  or  if  at  the  shows  entered  either 
in  the  Any  Other  Variety,  Gift,  or  Selling  Classes,  in  none 
of  which  they  stand  much  chance  of  obtaining  distinction. 

The  nearer  they  combine  the  best  characteristics  of 
the  two  varieties,  which  seem  to  be  fused  into  one,  the 
more  perfect  the  specimen  is  considered. 

Contrary  to  what  has  been  found  with  some  cross 
breeds,  they  are  found  to  breed  very  true  to  colour  and 
type  ;  but  they  are  longer  in  maturing  their  coats  in  point 
of  length  and  texture  than  is  the  case  with  Angoras  ;  of 
course  this  is  subject  to  variation  in  individual  cases. 

As  in  the  case  of  all  long-haired  varieties,  frequent 
attention  with  brushing  and  combing  is  necessary  to  keep 
the  hair  in  form  and  to  avoid  knots  or  matting,  and  their 
hutches  for  the  same  reason  must  be  kept  scrupulously 
clean  and  as  dry  as  possible. 

Straw  is  best  for  bedding,  as  the  ends  of  hay  are  apt 
to  get  into  the  coats  and  give  an  unsightly  appearance, 
besides  giving  endless  trouble  to  remove. 

They  are  sufficiently  hardy  to  do  fairly  well  in  outside 
hutches,  if  protected  in  wet,  cold  or  stormy  weather,  but 
the  quality  and  quantity  of  the  coat  is  likely  to  be  better 
in  those  kept  in  a  house  or  shed,  especially  in  the 
colder  parts  of  the  year. 

This  variety  does  not  run  to  great  weight,  eight 
pounds  may  be  looked  upon  as  the  limit,  and  many  more 
will  be  found  of  four,  five  and  six  pounds.  As  a  general 
rule,  those  nearest  perfection  in  their  points  are  between 
five  and  six  pounds  in  weight. 


70  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

Of  course,  there  is  no  reason  why  surplus  stock  should 
not  be  used  for  table  purposes,  but,  like  the  Angoras,  I 
think  they  are  very  seldom  bred,  at  least  in  this  country, 
with  that  object  in  view,  but  almost  entirely  as  pets,  and 
generally  by  ladies  and  young  people. 

If  kept  with  the  idea  of  occasionally  exhibiting,  it 
would  be  better  to  keep  some  does  for  that  purpose  only, 
as  those  used  for  breeding  pluck  their  coats  so  much  to 
provide  warm  nests  for  the  young,  that  they  take  a  long 
time  to  recover  their  good  looks. 

This  does  not  apply  to  the  bucks,  which  if  frequently 
groomed,  will  keep  in  form,  except  during  the  moulting 
season.  They  are  credited  with  possessing  mild  and  docile 
dispositions,  and  are  said  to  be  seldom,  if  ever,  known  to 
show  hostile  or  cannibalistic  tendencies  towards  their  young. 

The  does  are  fairly  prolific,  and  if  permitted,  will  rear 
two  or  three  litters  in  the  year,  generally  producing  from 
six  to  nine  at  a  birth  ;  but  1  think  two  litters  are  better 
than  three,  and  give  better  chances  to  mother  and  offspring. 

In  order  to  obtain  specimens  as  near  perfection  as 
possible,  some  attention  must  be  given  to  mating,  trying 
to  counterbalance  the  faults  in  the  doe  by  the  good 
qualities  of  the  buck,  or  the  reverse. 

Coat  and  colour  are  the  main  points  to  be  aimed  at, 
getting  as  much  of  the  former  as  you  can  in  reason,  of  a  pure 
white  and  silky  texture,  and  the  markings  on  the  nose,  ears, 
feet  and  tail  as  dark  as  possible,  if  not  actually  black  ;  so 
that  in  one  variety  are  combined  the  difficulties  experienced 
by  the  breeders  and  fanciers  of  Angoras  and  Himalayans. 

The  ears  should  be  small,  and  carried  upright,  having 


THE  SIBERIAN  RABBIT  71 

soft  fine  hair  on  the  outer  sides,  but  not  insides.  The  eyes 
are  large  and  full,  with  little  colour  in  them,  but  such  as  they 
have  giving  the  impression  of  a  pale  pink,  not  so  red  as 
in  the  Himalayan,  nor  so  decided  a  tint  as  in  the  Angora. 

The  hair  on  head  should  be  plentiful,  especially  on  the 
upper  part,  also  round  the  neck  and  on  chest,  back  and 
sides,  which  add  to  its  picturesque  and  quaint  appearance. 

The  legs  should  be  moderately  long  and  thick,  and 
the  body  somewhat  chumpy  in  shape,  but,  like  all  animals 
with  heavy  coats,  they  look  much  heavier  than  they  really 
are,  as  very  heavy  Siberians  are  seldom  met  with,  as  far  as 
my  experience  goes. 

The  following  will  give  an  idea  of  the  relative  value 
of  the  several  points  : — 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
SIBERIAN  RABBITS 


Head          ..... 

Ears,  size  and  shape    .... 

Eyes,  shape,  size  and  colour 
Uniformity  of  markings  on  extremities 
Legs  and  feet,  length  and  size. 
Quality  of  wool  ..... 

Length  of  wool  ..... 

Condition  ...... 

Size,  not  exceeding  eight  pounds  . 


S 
5 
5 

20 

15 

15 
10 

IO 


Points 


Total     100  Points 


CHAPTER   X 

THE    FLEMISH    GIANT    RABBIT 

THIS  variety  is  correctly  named  in  both  respects,  as  I 
think  it  is  generally  admitted  to  have  been  first  produced 
in  Flanders,  and  to  be  still  largely  bred  in  Belgium  and 
the  northern  districts  of  France  ;  and  it  is  generally  the 
largest  and  heaviest  of  all  the  Rabbit  family. 

Probably  as  a  food  producer  it  has  no  equal,  as  not 
only  is  the  flesh  of  excellent  flavour,  but  they  put  on  flesh 
very  rapidly,  so  that  breeders  who  keep  up  their  feeding 
operations  with  vigour  are  often  able  to  kill  youngsters  of 
three  months  old,  up  to  six  pounds  in  weight,  which  must 
be  "good  business,"  as  our  commercial  friends  say. 

While  size  is  very  important  with  the  Flemish,  colour, 
which  is  always  harder  to  obtain,  should  not  be  lost  sight 
of.  Iron  grey  should  be  the  predominant  shade  every- 
where, except  on  the  belly  and  under  parts,  which  should 
be  white.  It  is  desirable  to  avoid  any  with  sandy  colour 
upon  them,  which  are  thought  to  show  a  Belgian  Hare 
cross  at  some  time  or  other. 

As  they  mature,  tickings  appear  in  coat,  on  back  and 
sides,  which  are  admired,  and  have  a  good  effect. 

In  many  varieties  dewlaps  are  drawbacks,  and  have  to 

72 


.,-•:,..:• 


TYPICAL   SIBERIAN    RABBIT. 


FLEMISH   GIANT — "  CH.    LADY   BEATRICE." 
Owner,  A.  Merry,  jun. 


Tojacepage  72. 


THE  FLEMISH  GIANT  RABBIT  73 

be  guarded  against  in  purchasing  or  breeding,  but  in  this 
they  are  desirable,  more  especially  in  the  does  ;  but  they 
should  be  full  and  uniform  in  shape,  forming  a  cushion  for 
the  chin  to  rest  on,  and  give  a  complacent,  comfortable 
appearance  to  the  animals  when  at  rest. 

The  head  should  be  large  and  roomy,  rather  than 
wedge-like  in  shape. 

The  ears  six  to  seven  inches  long,  fairly  thick,  and 
carried  erect. 

The  body  large  and  long,  very  wide  and  massive 
across  the  hind  quarters,  which  should  be  very  capacious. 

Legs  and  feet  should  have  attention,  as  it  is  important 
they  should  be  straight  as  well  as  strong,  and  too  much 
forcing  of  young  stock  has  a  tendency  to  throw  out 
the  fore  legs  particularly,  which  is  much  against  any 
intended  for  exhibition. 

Any  white  on  face,  nose,  ears  or  feet  is  most  objec- 
tionable from  a  fancier's  point  of  view,  but  of  course  none 
of  these  objections  will  apply  to  those  selected  for  table 
use. 

The  eyes  should  be  large,  bright  in  expression  and 
round  in  shape. 

The  does  are  very  prolific,  and  not  seldom  have  litters 
of  seven  and  nine.  It  is  well,  if  the  object  is  to  breed 
specimens  for  show,  not  to  leave  more  than  three  or  four 
on  the  does,  putting  the  others  in  the  care  of  a  foster 
mother,  of  course  keeping  with  the  doe  those  most  pro- 
mising in  shape  and  evenness  of  colour. 

At  all  times,  whether  young  or  old,  it  is  best  not  to 
lift  specimens  by  the  ears,  they  are  often  spoiled  in  shape 


74  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

or  carriage  by  doing  so  ;  one  hand  should  be  placed  under 
the  hind  quarters,  and  the  skin  of  the  back  grasped  firmly 
with  the  other.  Indeed,  this  applies  to  most  kinds  of 
rabbits,  but  more  to  those  exceeding  five  pounds  in 
weight. 

It  is  not  unusual  to  see  Flemish  Giants  of  twelve  and 
fourteen  pounds,  and  we  hear  of  specimens  much  heavier, 
but  they  are  not  very  often  seen  at  the  shows. 

Though  I  have  no  doubt  that  gelded  bucks  fed  with 
judgment, and  coming  of  a  large  strain,  might  be  brought  up 
a  pound  or  two  heavier,  for  all  practical  purposes,  ten  or 
twelve  pounds  is  a  good  useful  weight  either  for  show,  if 
good  enough  in  its  points,  or  for  the  table  if  that  is  the 
breeder's  object. 

Being  such  large  animals,  naturally  they  require 
roomy  hutches.  For  brood  does,  these  are  recommended 
to  be  about  five  to  six  feet  long,  with  one  end  parted 
off  for  the  litter  by  a  three  or  four  inch  high  board 
stretching  across  the  hutch,  merely  to  avoid  the  nest  being 
disturbed,  or  the  young  ones  crawling,  or  falling  out  ;  if 
the  height  of  the  hutch  is  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  inches, 
it  will  be  all  the  better,  and  avoid  the  tops  of  the  ears 
being  injured,  as  the  doe  moves  to  and  fro. 

Bucks'  hutches  should  be  provided  with  plenty  of 
room,  but  they  need  not  be  as  long  as  for  does,  although 
in  other  respects  they  should  be  as  large. 

Large  frames  require  ample  nourishment,  and  to 
obtain  and  preserve  weight  they  must  be  fed  with  no 
niggard  scale  of  diet. 

Some  of  the  most  successful  breeders  make  a  practice 


THE  FLEMISH  GIANT  RABBIT  75 

of  giving  three  meals  a  day,  making  good  sweet  hay  one 
of  the  standpoints  ;  ground  corn  mixed,  with  the  leaf 
of  clover  hay  and  a  little  pollard  made  into  a  crumbling 
mash,  and  given  with  the  chill  off  for  the  first  meal ; 
another  about  mid-day  consisting  of  roots,  or  other 
green  stuff,  the  former  in  winter  when  the  latter  are  not 
easily  procured  ;  and  at  night  as  many  oats  as  they  will 
eat,  not  play  with,  also  a  few  grey  peas  previously  soaked 
and  strained,  and  a  little  green  stuff  with  another  handful 
of  hay. 

Some  give  bread  and  milk  squeezed  fairly  dry  to 
youngsters,  once  a  day  before  they  are  weaned  and  until 
they  are  six  or  seven  weeks  old,  and  a  few  crushed  oats, 
also  with  satisfactory  results. 

I  am  not  an  advocate  for  the  rabbit  and  cattle  foods, 
and  boiled  linseed,  which  are  largely  used  by  some  fanciers, 
nor  even  for  linseed  cake,  although  I  do  not  doubt  they 
are  all  fattening  agents.  Generally  these  foods  are  used 
on  those  specimens  reserved  for  the  table,  but  for  my 
own  eating  I  would  infinitely  prefer  an  animal  fattened  on 
what  we  consider  its  natural  food,  than  to  partake  of  a 
monster  animal  which  had  been  forced  upon  what  is  really 
artificial  feeding,  and  I  am  tolerably  certain  the  flesh  of  the 
former  would  .taste  better  than  the  latter. 

At  least,  that  is  my  experience  with  other  kinds  of 
live  stock,  independent  of  rabbits  altogether.  The 
following  suggestions  of  the  value  of  the  several 
points,  in  specimens  for  exhibition,  may  be  a  guide 
to  some  of  my  readers  desirous  of  taking  up  this 
variety  : — 


y6  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  IN  JUDGING  THE 
FLEMISH  GIANT  RABBIT 

Head,  roundness  and  chubbiness  .          .         .  5  Points 

Ears,  upright  and  straight    .          .          .  5  ,, 

Legs,  straight  and  unmarked         .          .  15  „ 

Eyes,  round,  full  and  bright          .          .  5  ,, 

Body,  massive  and  capacious          .          .  1 5  „ 

Colour,  evenness  and  freedom  from  red  shades  25  „ 

Condition  .......  5  „ 

Size,  and  weight,  exceeding  ten  pounds          .  25  ,, 

Total        100  Points 


FLEMISH    GIANT—"  VICTORIA.' 
Owner,  S.  R.  Turk. 


HIMALAYAN. 
Challenge  Cup  Crystal  Palace,  etc.     Owner,  F.  Avard. 


To  face  page  77. 


CHAPTER    XI 

THE    HIMALAYAN    RABBIT 

SOME  writers  on  this  variety  express  a  doubt  whether  it 
is  really  entitled  to  the  name  it  bears,  but  I  think  it  is 
not  material,  as  there  seems  a  general  agreement  that,  even 
up  to  the  present  time,  these  animals  are  found  in  parts  of 
Russia,  China  and  Northern  India,  and  have  borne  the 
name  of  Himayalan  for  a  great  number  of  years,  though 
they  have  sometimes  been  called  Chinese,  Egyptian 
Smuts,  and  even  Antwerp  Rabbits  ;  but  I  have  never 
heard  any  reason  for  the  last  named  as  a  place  of 
origin. 

Suffice  it  to  say,  they  are  now  a  distinct  variety  here, 
and  looked  upon  as  decidedly  hardy  in  constitution,  and 
breed  very  true  to  type,  perhaps  as  much  as  any,  and 
more  than  most,  others.  They  are  not  large  animals, 
more  being  under  six  pounds  in  weight,  when  matured, 
than  over  that  figure.  Nearly  always,  at  least  with  us, 
they  are  kept  for  show,  more  than  for  table  purposes. 
The  coat  is  white  all  over,  except  at  the  extremities,  the 
nose,  ears,  feet  and  tail  being  as  dark  as  they  can  be 
obtained,  the  nearer  black  is  approached  in  this  respect 

77 


78  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

the  better,  and  the  tint  of  them  all  should  be  nearly  the 
same.  This  is  where  breeders  find  the  difficulty,  as 
while  the  nose,  ears,  tail,  and  sometimes  the  fore  feet, 
may  be  all  right,  a  specimen  will  fail  in  the  colour  of  its 
hind  feet. 

Some  breeders  suggest  a  double  flooring  to  the 
hutches,  so  as  to  keep  them  as  dry  as  possible,  and  I 
think  the  idea  is  good,  and  likely  to  have  the  desired 
effect. 

I  have  found  that  by  using  plenty  of  pine  sawdust, 
keeping  great  cleanliness  in  the  hutches,  and  giving  straw 
for  bedding,  the  colour  is  tolerably  well  preserved.  I  have 
won  many  prizes  with  stock,  which  I  obtained  of  Mr 
Champion  Carter  of  Weston-super-Mare,  who  used  to  be 
a  very  successful  breeder  of  Himalayans  kept  in  this  way. 

There  has  been  a  good  deal  of  controversy  for  and 
against  keeping  them  in  dark  hutches,  to  preserve  the 
dark  colour.  I  do  not  advocate  their  being  in  a  sunny 
situation,  but  advise  their  hutches  having  their  backs 
towards  the  light  in  the  Rabbitry,  and  this  not  only  as 
being  of  advantage  to  their  extremities,  but  also  on 
account  of  their  eyes,  which,  being  rather  full  and  more 
red  in  colour  than  any  other  variety,  are  sure  to  be 
sensitive  to  strong  light. 

The  does  make  good  and  affectionate  mothers,  but 
should  not  be  allowed  to  breed  early,  say  seven  or  eight 
months  old  at  least,  and  not  have  more  than  two  litters 
in  the  year. 

The   bucks  will  be  all  the  better  if  not  used  at  the 
stud  until  nine  months  old,  and  intruding  should  at  all 


THE  HIMALAYAN  RABBIT  79 

times  be  avoided,  or  the  offspring  will  suffer,  both  in 
constitution  and  colouring. 

In  disposition  they  are  usually  quiet,  docile  and 
easily  tamed,  if  kindly  treated  ;  the  does  are  best  left 
alone  as  much  as  possible  when  suckling  a  litter,  as  at 
such  times  they  are  very  jealous  of  any  interference. 
Litters  may  be  found  to  vary  from  five  to  eight  in 
number  ;  it  is  not  wise  to  permit  a  doe  to  rear  more  than 
four  or  five  at  the  utmost.  They  soon  come  in  season 
again,  but,  as  I  have  said,  two  litters  a  year  are  better 
than  more. 

Until  the  young,  which  should  be  left  with  the  doe 
for  seven  or  eight  weeks,  are  three  months  old,  it  is 
difficult  to  decide  with  any  certainty  which  will  be  the 
most  valuable  to  keep,  and  at  four  and  five  months  some 
may  be  good  enough  to  show  in  young  classes,  but,  as  a 
rule,  they  take  longer  to  make  up. 

Unless  they  show  signs  of  being  quarrelsome,  the 
does  may  run  together  for  some  months,  but  the  bucks 
should  be  taken  away  before  reaching  six  months,  and 
then  not  put  in  hutches  containing  more  than  one 
specimen.  They  are  better  kept  in  a  house,  or  shed,  than 
in  outside  hutches,  but  do  not  require  artificial  heat ; 
indeed,  I  have  found  them  better  without  it,  so  long  as 
they  do  not  suffer  from  actual  cold,  draughts  or  wet. 
I  think,  perhaps,  I  have  said  enough  in  a  general  way  of 
this  variety,  and  think  I  cannot  do  better  than  quote  the 
opinion  of  Enoch  Hutton,  F.Z.S.,  about  Himalayans,  as 
he  has  had  a  much  longer  experience  of  them  than  myself. 

"  This  is  one  of  the  most  popular  and  interesting  of 


8o  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

our  Fancy  Varieties  of  Rabbit,  and  finding  a  home,  at 
some  time  or  other,  in  nearly  all  Rabbitries  ;  it  is  at 
once  pleasing  to  the  connoisseur  and  striking  to  the 
novice. 

"  No  variety  is  more  prolific,  few  are  as  hardy,  and 
none  breed  more  true  to  colour  and  marking,  and  so  true 
to  this  point  are  they,  that  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying, 
that  of  all  the  animals  and  birds  I  have  cultivated,  these 
take  the  first  position  in  that  respect.  In  colour  they 
are  pure  white,  except  the  ears,  nose,  feet  and  tail,  which 
are  a  dark  brown,  and,  contrasted  with  the  white,  this 
appears  to  be  black  in  a  good  specimen. 

"  In  size  they  vary  from  three  to  seven  pounds,  when 
full  grown,  but  I  have  never  seen  a  good  one  over  six 
pounds,  and  very  few  of  that  size,  while  I  have  seen 
numbers  of  winners  of  the  smaller  size  ;  in  fact,  I  have  no 
doubt  but  that  quality  of  colour  and  marking,  with  fine- 
ness of  coat,  usually  go  with  the  medium  and  smaller 
specimens,  and  I  certainly  lean  to  the  smaller  sizes  for 
the  show  pen,  while  I  look  upon  a  full-grown  buck,  in 
nice  condition,  as  being  of  a  good  average  size  when  at 
five  pounds'  weight. 

"  Extraordinary  size  is  only  obtainable  by  crossing  with 
other  varieties,  at  the  cost  of  colour,  which  when  once  lost 
can  scarcely  ever  be  regained. 

"  When  they  first  leave  the  nest,  they  appear  to  be  quite 
white,  but  on  close  inspection  the  points  above  referred 
to  will  be  found  to  be  of  a  leaden  hue,  and  these  change 
gradually  up  to  about  four  or  five  months,  when  the 
animal  may  be  considered  to  have  assumed  its  adult  dress. 


THE  HIMALAYAN  RABBIT  81 

"  In  shape,  they  should  be  compact,  and  snug  looking 
when  at  repose,  showing  a  graceful  appearance  of  elonga- 
tion when  in  action. 

"  I  prefer  them  without  dewlap — but  I  would  not 
deduct  more  than  two  points  on  that  account. 

"  Many  kinds  of  nostrums  are  prescribed  for  the 
attainment  and  preservation  of  colour  on  the  points,  but 
I  have  little  belief  in  or  sympathy  with  any  of  them, 
being  quite  sure  from  experience  that  a  recourse  to 
natural  means,  with  a  view  to  their  general  health,  will 
attain  the  desired  object,  besides  saving  a  great  amount 
of  trouble  and  expense. 

"  Light  should  not  be  excluded  from  the  feeding  hutch, 
but  on  the  sun's  side  the  glass  should  be  frosted  to 
protect  them  from  the  rays  of  the  mid-day  sun,  which  are 
always  detrimental  to  colour. 

<c  I  have  always  found  that  by  providing  a  movable 
hutch  for  feeding  in,  with  open  back,  placing  it  against 
a  sandbank  or  hill  of  dry  earth  or  shingle,  allowing  them 
to  burrow  for  themselves,  and  removing  all  loose  rubbish 
as  it  accumulated,  they  kept  their  colour  much  better 
than  by  any  other  means. 

"  But  if  such  bank  be  not  available,  it  is  very  easy  to 
provide  one  by  piling  a  quantity  of  roots  (of  trees)  and 
gnarled  branches  in  a  corner  of  a  room  or  shed,  filling  the 
interstices  with  soil  and  sand,  or  by  filling  a  large  sugar- 
tub  in  the  same  manner,  providing  holes  at  the  bottom 
for  their  admission. 

"  With  such  provision  the  rabbits  will  spend  most  of 
their  time  in  the  burrows,  only  coming  out  at  the  regular 


82 


RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 


meal  times,  and  the  coat  and  colour  will  be  preserved  fit 
for  exhibition  much  longer  than  by  any  other  means. 

"When  so  treated,  cleanliness  in  the  hutch,  and  a 
moderate  use  of  green  food,  avoiding  cabbage  of  every 
variety,  will  keep  them  free  from  skin  diseases,  the  only 
drawback  of  the  breed  being  attacks  of  this  character. 

"STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  THE 
HIMALAYAN  RABBIT 

Size,  about  five  pounds        .... 
Shape,  style  and  general  sprightliness     . 
Head,  moderate  size  and  neat 
Eyes,  large,  bright,  and  a  beautiful  pink 
Ears,    small,    rather     pointed,    quite    erect, 

pointing  slightly  forwards  . 
Coat,  short,  fine  and  very  close     . 
Colour,  markings  of  nose     .... 
Colour,         , ,         of  ears      .... 
Colour,        ,,         of  fore  feet 
Colour,         „         of  hind  feet  when  equal  to 

fore  feet  in  colour  .... 
Colour,  markings  of  tail  .... 
General  condition,  health  and  cleanliness 

"  Total       100  Points 

"  Deductions  should  be  made  for  large  ears,  paleness 
of  colour  on  points,  cloudiness  of  coat,  dewlap,  etc. 

"  And  the  disqualifications  are,  lop,  or  half  lop,   ears, 
crooked  legs,  and  blotches  of  white  onnose,ears,  feet,  or  tail." 


5  J 

Joints 

5 

55 

5 

5} 

5 

J  ) 

5 

55 

10 

55 

10 

55 

10 

5) 

IO 

55 

15 

55 

IO 

55 

IO 

55 

HIMALAYAN — "  LARRY    CARTER." 
Winner  of  many  Prizes,  etc.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


DUTCH,    BLACK — "  CH.    BONUS;" 
Noted  Prize  Winner.     Owner,  J.  Malley. 


To  face  page  83. 


CHAPTER   XII 

THE    DUTCH    RABBIT 

ALTHOUGH  of  late  years  the  Belgian  Hare  and  the 
English  varities  have  been  more  "  boomed,"  the  Dutch 
have  always  maintained  considerable  popularity,  and,  I 
think,  deservedly. 

Not  only  are  they  very  pretty  animals,  and  can  be  pro- 
cured of  many  different  colours,  each  with  their  supporters, 
but  they  are  perhaps  unequalled  as  mothers  and  nurses, 
being  largely  used  in  the  latter  capacity  even  by  fanciers 
who  keep  none  of  the  variety  for  exhibition. 

Then  they  are  one  of  the  smallest  of  all  kinds,  and 
do  not  take  up  much  room,  and  very  docile  and  pleasant 
to  deal  with,  it  certainly  being  the  exception  to  meet  with 
bad-tempered  specimens  ;  but  I  have  known  one  or  two, 
who  were  very  warm  members  indeed,  and  would  "  go  for  " 
the  first  hand  which  approached  them  in  the  show  pen. 

And  last,  but  by  no  means  least,  I  do  not  remember 
any  variety  which  so  soon  discloses  the  apparent  value  of 
the  youngsters  in  a  litter,  as  a  fair  judgment  on  this 
subject  may  be  formed  within  three  days  of  their  birth, 
and  the  "  wasters  "  removed,  to  the  relief  of  the  mother 
(and  subsequently  of  the  corn  and  hay  bill)  ;  and  at  eight 

83 


84  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  C  A  VIES 

or  nine  weeks  old  it  is  by  no  means  an  uncommon 
occurrence  for  well-marked  youngsters  to  commence  a 
a  successful  show  career  ;  and  downright  good  youngsters 
will  fetch  very  remunerative  prices  at  an  age,  when  most 
other  varities  are  not  out  of  the  nursery. 

All  these  reasons  combined  tend  to  keep  up  the 
fame  of  the  variety,  and  perhaps,  especially  amongst 
beginners,  Dutch  are  as  much  kept  in  this  country 
as  any  other  of  the  fancy  varieties. 

For,  be  it  observed,  they  are  essentially  fancy  rabbits  ; 
as  a  rule,  the  adults  do  not  scale  over  five  or  six 
pounds,  frequently  less,  so  that  they  are  seldom 
bred  for  table  use,  though,  no  doubt,  some  which 
are  mismarked  at  birth,  or  develop  defects  after- 
wards, or  run  too  big  for  the  show  pens,  are  killed 
for  the  table,  and  I  have  known  it  asserted  that 
they  are  uncommonly  good  eating  too. 

Of  course,  the  colour  is  much  a  matter  of  taste  ; 
I  like  any  of  the  colours,  if  the  specimens  are  correctly 
marked.  I  may  lean  a  little  to  black,  which  shows 
up  well,  if  deep  and  pure,  against  the  white  ;  although 
I  know  many  fanciers  rank  yellow  as  next  in  value 
to  black,  I  do  not  like  it  as  well,  as  so  many  yellows 
fail  in  colour  of  undercut,  though  a  really  good  specimen 
is  very  taking ;  but  I  may  mention,  in  passing,  that 
the  young  of  this  colour  are  longer  in  showing 
their  shades,  and  young  fanciers  desirous  of  bringing 
out  a  topping  yellow  should  not  get  rid  of  those 
apparently  almost  plain  white  until  nearly  a  week 
old,  when  some  idea  of  their  merits  may  be  gained. 


THE  DUTCH  RABBIT  85 

I  am  not  averse  to  a  deep  slate  blue,  of  which 
I  have  owned  and  seen  many  beautiful  specimens 
at  different  times,  and  it  is  not  wise  to  mate  two 
of  this  colour  together,  but  better  results  are  obtained 
when  one  of  the  parents,  I  prefer  the  buck  for  choice, 
is  a  black. 

When  I  can  get  a  steel  grey,  pretty  even  in  colour, 
without  any  shadings  to  speak  of,  I  like  it  very  much  ; 
it  may  be  my  fancy,  but  I  have  the  idea  these  are 
apt  to  run  rather  heavier  than  the  other  colours,  and 
look  rather  cobbier  in  shape. 

I  think  the  tortoiseshells  are  the  least  common  of  all 
the  colours,  and  are  often  the  result  of  mating  a  black 
buck  with  a  yellow  doe,  but  it  is  found  that  if  there  are 
also  yellow  in  the  litter,  they  will  be  of  richer  and  deeper 
colours  than  if  the  parents  had  been  two  yellows. 

In  the  same  way  the  blacks  in  a  litter,  resulting  from 
the  union  of  a  blue  buck  with  a  black  doe,  will  be  found 
to  be  a  better  and  deeper  hue,  than  from  two  black 
parents,  and  not  so  often  with  the  white  hairs  in  the 
black,  which  are  such  a  trouble  to  get  rid  of. 

I  suppose  there  have  been  more  disqualifications  of 
Dutch  for  trimming,  etc.,  than  all  the  other  varieties 
together,  and  as  the  markings  and  the  size  and  shape 
are  the  main  points  in  them,  a  very  thin  line  often 
separates  the  first  four  in  a  good  class. 

The  appended  illustrations  of  high-class  specimens 
taken  from  life,  will  convey  more  idea  of  what  Dutch 
should  be  like  than  any  amount  of  writing  by  me, 
so  that  I  will  merely  give  a  brief  description  of  the 


86  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

points  to  be  aimed  at,  and  a  standard  for  judging 
the  variety,  suggested  by  a  successful  breeder  and 
exhibitor  of  the  variety. 

I  may  just  say,  that  the  body  colour,  whatever  it  is, 
whether  black,  blue,  yellow,  grey  or  tortoiseshell , 
should  be  as  pure  and  decided  as  possible,  not  faded, 
or  washy-looking,  as  in  that  case  it  ill  contrasts  with 
the  white,  which  should  also  be  as  snowy  as  possible. 

Although  it  is  sometimes  done,  probably  with  a  view 
to  keeping  down  size,  I  am  not  an  advocate  for  using 
either  sex  at  the  stud  until  six  months  old  or  more, 
as  it  stands  to  reason  the  progeny  will  be  of  better 
constitution,  if  the  parents,  at  least,  approach 
maturity. 

The  does  frequently  have  litters  of  seven  and 
eight,  and  even  more,  but  it  is  wise  to  remove  all 
but  the  best  four  or  five,  at  utmost,  or  the  game 
little  mother  may  suffer  from  the  strain  put  upon  her 

The  head  is  larger  than  it  looks,  from  its  peculiar 
markings,  with  small  erect  ears  ;  eyes  full,  and  rather 
prominent,  matching  in  colour ;  both  the  ears  and 
eyes  come  into  the  colour  of  the  cheek  marks,  oval  in 
shape,  which  come  nearly  to  the  edge  of  the  lower  jaw 
each  side,  divided  up  the  face  by  the  blaze,  which  should 
be  as  even  as  possible,  narrowing  towards  the  top 
and  run  into  the  white  at  the  back  of  the  neck,  which 
should  be  clear  of  body  colour  ;  the  collar,  between  the 
cheek  markings  and  back  markings  (technically  called 
the  saddle),  as  well  as  the  whole  of  the  chest,  face,  fore 
feet  and  blaze,  should  be  pure  white. 


DUTCH,  TORTOISE — "  CH.   SENSATION." 
Owners,  Messrs  Mason  and  South. 


DUTCH,   BLUE — "  LITTLE   BOY   BLUE." 
Winner  numerous  Prizes.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


To  face  page  87. 


THE  DUTCH  RABBIT  87 

The  rest  of  the  body,  under  as  well  as  over,  except  the 
hind  feet — which  should  have  stops,  or  tips,  of  white,  not 
exceeding  two  inches,  and  better  a  little  less,  in  depth — 
and  the  two  feet  evenly  marked,  should  be  as  even 
and  decided  in  colour  as  can  be ;  and  where  many 
specimens  fail  is,  in  the  under  part  of  the  body, 
known  as  the  undercut,  being  too  pale  and  washy  in 
colour. 

I  should  have  said  that  Dutch  are  looked  upon  as 
hardy  compared  with  almost  any  of  the  fancy  varieties, 
and  are  usually  good  feeders,  requiring  no  special  arrange- 
ments for  their  feeding,  and  being  small,  will  be  happy 
in  hutches  of  the  ordinary  size,  and  even  those  outside, 
if  well  protected  ;  but  I  am  not  in  favour  of  these  for  any 
kind  of  rabbit,  if  they  can  be  avoided. 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE   FOR  JUDGING  THE  SHOW 
DUTCH  RABBIT 

Head         rv''      »v    [4fe   W    -V  v'  ,       5  Points 

Ears  (small  and  very  neat)     ,:      '-.  ,  •  -...  l.        5  „ 

Eyes  (matching  in  shade)     .       ;;  V  V  .        5  ,, 

Blaze,  evenness,  shape  and  extent .  v  .     25  ,, 

Collar,  or  undercut      y        .          ;  :  .  <  .-    20      ,, 

Hind  feet,  length  and  evenness  of  stops  ,.!,'.  15  „ 

Colour,  density  and  purity   .        :.  -  :>•.  .,"-10  ,, 

Condition   .       .;.;    :   *         ;;    ;?-.?q  .  ; •',."'     5  ,, 

Size,  not  exceeding  six  pounds    ',.  :,  ~.     10  „ 

Total       100  Points 


CHAPTER    XIII 

THE    ANGORA    RABBIT 

I  HAVE  a  strong  idea  that  if  such  a  thing  were  possible 
as  to  take  a  poll  of  the  visitors,  not  fanciers,  who  attend 
our  exhibitions  in  the  year,  it  would  be  found  that  a  large 
majority  of  them  are  in  favour  of  Angoras,  before  any 
other  variety  of  Rabbit,  and  they  certainly  obtain  the 
most  admiration  from  the  non-exhibiting  public. 

I  have  always  had  a  sneaking  kindness  for  them,  and 
during  the  whole  of  my  exhibiting  career  have,  I  think, 
kept  a  few  specimens. 

I  daresay  some  of  my  readers  have  heard  the  old  saying 
of  an  Angora  fancier,  a  That  a  good  specimen  could  hardly 
be  groomed  too  much,  and  that  a  bad  one  never  wanted 
it."  There  is  a  good  deal  of  truth  in  it,  as  the  soft  and 
almost  downy  character  of  the  hair,  or  wool,  of  a  high- 
class  specimen  is  just  the  sort  that  will  knot,  mat,  and 
gather  all  kinds  of  unconsidered  trifles  into  it  unless  well 
looked  after,  and  knowing  this,  when  I  have  a  class  of 
the  variety  before  me,  or  meet  some  of  them  in  Any  Other 
Variety,  Gift  or  Selling  Classes,  I  take  particular  care  they 
shall  receive  their  utmost  notice  if  up  to  the  mark,  as 
I  know,  from  my  own  experience,  they  must  have  given 

88 


THE  ANGORA  RABBIT  89 

their  owner  a  little  more  trouble  than  probably  any  other 
variety,  to  put  them  down  in  form,  and  also  because,  as 
I  said  in  my  preliminary  sketch  of  the  different  varieties 
to  be  treated,  I  am  glad  to  see  there  are  still  some 
keen  fanciers  of  this  beautiful  variety.  Occasionally,  we 
see  them  shown  of  grey,  fawn,  slate,  black,  and  mixed 
colours,  but  for  my  own  part  I  greatly  prefer  them  pure 
white,  and  none  of  the  others,  to  my  mind,  come  near 
them  as  typical  representatives,  nor  is  the  coat  of  any 
other  colour  than  white  of  quite  such  high  quality — at 
least,  that  is  my  idea. 

I  think  there  is  no  doubt  this  was  originally  an  im- 
ported variety,  and  although  they  have  always  been,  and 
are  now,  favourites  in  many  of  the  countries  on  the 
Continent  of  Europe,  that  they  came,  if  not,  as  many 
suppose,  from  Persia,  from  some  Eastern  country. 

There  is  a  peculiar  expression  about  an  Angora, 
which  you  do  not  see  in  any  other  rabbit.  The  head  should 
be  of  moderate  size,  well  covered  about  the  upper  part, 
forehead,  and  between  the  ears,  with  soft  feathery  hair  or 
wool,  often  long  enough  to  hang  down  over  the  eyes, 
which  are  a  light  shade  of  pink  in  the  white  specimens, 
but  much  darker  in  shade  in  those  not  white,  or  pale 
fawn,  in  coat. 

The  ears  should  be  short,  rather  than  large,  carried 
erect,  without  any  tendency  to  lop  or  droop,  clean  inside 
but  feathered  outside,  not  thick  or  coarse,  but  semi- 
transparent,  showing  a  pinky  colour  against  the  light. 

The  fur,  or  wool,  can  hardly  be  too  abundant,  all 
over  the  body  and  chest,  and  should  be  as  fine  and 


90  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

feathery  as  possible,  free  from  any  knots,  matting  or 
discolouration. 

The  legs  and  feet  are  fine  rather  than  muscular,  and 
long  rather  than  stumpy. 

The  shape  of  the  body  is  moderately  long  and  nicely 
arched  over  the  rump  towards  the  tail,  which  seems 
almost  hidden  by  the  fur  or  wool. 

The  mouth  is  small  for  the  size  of  the  animal,  and 
the  chin  somewhat  receding  in  character. 

Like  all  animals  with  heavy  coats,  they  are  very 
deceptive  in  weight  ;  it  will  very  seldom  be  found  that 
a  high-class  specimen,  as  regards  its  coat,  shape  and  type, 
will  exceed  eight  pounds,  perhaps  from  six  to  seven 
pounds  is  more  often  their  weight.  Those  larger  than 
this  are  usually  the  result  of  some  cross  breeding  to 
obtain  size,  often  with  the  sacrifice  of  quality  in  the 
coats. 

It  is  by  no  means  a  delicate  variety,  although  I  should 
not  advise  intending  exhibitors  to  keep  them  in  outside 
hutches,  unless  well  protected  from  wet  and  cold,  but 
I  consider  them  fairly  hardy  in  constitution,  and  not 
requiring  artificial  heat  in  a  general  way. 

Combing  the  coats,  and  brushing  them  once  or  twice 
a  week  at  least,  with  a  brush  with  long  and  softish  bristles, 
should  be  made  a  practice  of,  and  the  trouble  will  be 
repaid  by  the  condition  of  the  animals. 

I  have  found  them  gentle  and  docile,  and  they  soon 
get  used  to  the  toilet  preparations,  and  make  no  objection 
to  them  if  kindly  and  carefully  performed. 

The  does  are  fairly  prolific,  and  their  litters  average 


ANGORA— "CH.    QUALITY." 
Owner,  E.  J.  Sands. 


To  face  page  90. 


ANGORA — "  CH.    ELEGANCE." 
Owner,  Miss  W.  Kimmins. 


THE  ANGORA  RABBIT  91 

about  six  or  seven  in  number,  though  cases  are  met  with 
occasionally  of  nine  or  ten. 

I  do  not  think  it  wise  to  mate  the  does  until  at  least 
nine  or  ten  months  old,  and  prefer  not  to  use  the  bucks 
at  the  stud  until  nearly  a  year  old. 

The  does  generally  are  very  attentive,  affectionate 
mothers,  but  rather  jealous  of  any  interference  with  the 
litters,  which  should  be  handled  or  disturbed  as  little  as 
possible  in  the  early  days  after  their  birth,  except  of 
course  to  remove  any  dead,  deformed,  or  sickly  youngsters, 
which  are  better  got  rid  of  at  once. 

The  young  may  be  left  with  their  mother  till  eight  or 
nine  weeks  old,  and  although  nothing  special  may  be  re- 
quired in  the  way  of  feeding,  of  course  she  must  be  well 
kept  up  on  nourishing  food  while  she  is  suckling. 

The  hutches  must,  at  all  times,  be  kept  scrupulously 
clean  ;  I  prefer  longish  straw  for  bedding  to  any  other 
material,  being  less  likely  to  get  into  the  coats,  although 
hay  may  be  given  (preferred  in  a  little  rack,  at  the  side 
or  corner  of  the  outer  part  of  the  hutch)  for  feeding. 
No  one  but  those  who  have  kept  them  can  appreciate 
the  nuisance  of  getting  sawdust,  pe^t-fibre,  or  hay  seeds 
into  the  coats,  or  the  trouble  given  to  get  rid  of  them, 
and  any  of  these  are  very  prejudicial  to  their  chances  in 
the  show  pens. 

All  exhibitors  of  the  variety  will,  at  some  time  or 
another,  have  been  annoyed  at  their  pets  being  penned 
beneath  poultry,  or  pigeons,  and  finding  the  animals,  on 
which  much  care  and  time  have  been  expended  in  prepar- 
ing them  for  exhibition,  quite  spoiled  in  appearance  by 


92  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

the  chaff,  seeds,  etc.,  which  have  fallen  upon  them  through 
the  cracks  in  the  boards  above. 

I  consider  the  committee  of  any  show,  providing 
classes  for  Rabbits  (Cats,  or  Cavies),  should  either  arrange 
to  have  no  live  stock  placed  over  their  pens  (except  cage 
birds,  which  are  usually  harmless  in  that  way),  or  else 
have  lengths  of  paper,  or  linen,  under  the  upper  boards. 

I  may  perhaps  add  that  sow  thistles,  dandelions, 
plantains  and  chicory  are  all  found  good  varieties  of 
green  food  for  does  when  suckling,  as  being  both  milk- 
producing  and  flesh-forming  ;  of  course,  in  conjunction 
with  hay,  oats,  meal,  and  the  usual  run  of  Rabbit  food. 

I  think  I  need  not  add  more  about  this  well-known 
variety,  and  will  give  a  suggested  standard  for  judging 
exhibition  specimens  : — 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  ANGORA 

RABBITS 

Head,  moderate  size,  well  covered  with  hair       10  Points 

Ears,  not  long  or  thick  in  substance       .  .10  „ 

Eyes,  delicate  pale  pink  in  colour           .  5  „ 

Legs  and   feet,  moderate  in  length,  firm  in 

bone   .          .         .          .          .          .  15  ,, 

Quantity  and  quality  of  coat          .          .  .     30  „ 

Size,  not  to  exceed  eight  pounds  .     •    .  1 5  „ 

General  appearance  and  condition           .  15  ,, 

Total     100  Points 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE     ENGLISH      RABBIT 

FROM  the  fact  that  when  I  was  a  schoolboy  I  used  to  ex- 
pend some  of  my  strictly-limited  allowance,  or,  as  I  then 
used  to  call  it,  weekly  pay,  in  the  purchase  of  rabbits  of 
this  variety,  I  expect  it  was  the  commonest  then  in  vogue 
with  the  bird-shop  keepers,  and  therefore  considered  by 
the  rising  generation  as  the  kind  which  rendered  the  best 
value  for  their  money. 

As  I  said  in  my  introductory  remarks,  it  was  origin- 
ally called  the  "  Spotted  Butterfly,"  and  as  the  character- 
istic marks,  or  spots,  have  been  continued  ever  since,  and 
a  butterfly-shaped  mark  on  the  upper  part  of  the  nose  is 
still  insisted  on,  there  was  no  special  reason  for  altering 
its  title,  except  that  everything  "  English"  has  been  in 
fashion  for  some  years  past,  and  this  is,  I  believe,  really  an 
English  breed,  and  so  the  name  fitted  well. 

Probably,  from  my  early  associations,  I  have  always 
had  a  kindly  feeling  towards  this  variety,  and  am  pleased 
to  see  the  rapid  strides  it  has  made  in  popular  favour,  and 
there  are  so  many  apparently  trifling  matters  which  have 
to  combine  in  one  specimen  before  it  can  step  into  the 

93 


94  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

front  rank,  if  the  competition  is  fairly  keen,  that  the  real 
<c  flyers  "  are  few  and  far  between. 

It  is  what  I  should  call  a  sizeable,  rather  than  a  large 
rabbit,  not  too  long,  or  flat  in  the  body  and  sides,  with 
shortish,  erect,  black  ears,  and  feet  and  legs  of  medium 
length  ;  the  main  part  of  the  body  colour  is  pure  white, 
with  markings,  which  are  almost  invariably,  at  least  I 
do  not  remember  seeing  any  others,  either  black,  blue, 
tortoiseshell  or  grey,  but  in  my  experience  the  blacks  out- 
number the  others  very  considerably,  and,  I  think,  are  the 
prettiest  animals ;  but  this  of  course  is  a  matter  of  opinion. 

Besides  the  butterfly  spot  on  the  nose,  there  are  cheek 
markings  and  a  spot  at  the  side  of  each  eye,  but  not 
touching  the  rim  of  the  eye. 

Then,  there  is  a  line  of  markings  down  the  back, 
called  the  trace  ;  and  lines  of  spots  from  each  side  of  the 
neck,  joining  with  the  saddle  marks  on  back  and  sides, 
and  called  the  chain  ;  then  there  are  spots  on  the  belly 
(which  is  all  white  otherwise),  which  are  generally  insisted 
on  being  seven  in  number. 

All  the  white  should  be  as  pure  as  possible,  and  the 
contrasting  colour,  whether  black,  blue,  tortoiseshell  or 
grey,  pure  in  itself  and  unmixed  with  white. 

From  the  foregoing  remarks  it  will  be  easy  to  see  that 
"  Derby  Winners ''  cannot  be  bred  in  every  litter  of 
English,  as  there  are  so  many  little  matters  in  which  they 
may  be  found  wanting. 

One  great  fault  with  many  specimens  is  that  they  are 
too  heavy  in  their  markings,  and  often  too  big,  coarse 
and  chumpy  themselves. 


ENGLISH — "  CH.    MATCHLESS." 
Owners,   Messrs  Cunliffe  and  Son. 


To  face  page  94. 


ENGLISH — "  CH.    MAJESTIC." 
Owner,  Albert  Tottle. 


THE  ENGLISH  RABBIT  95 

Another  is,  they  have  a  butterfly  spot  wanting  one 
wing,  or  the  body  of  the  butterfly  is  too  low  down,  or 
too  high  up. 

Another  cause  of  failure  is,  in  the  face  markings,  the 
spots  at  side  of  each  eye  being  often  found  to  run  with 
each  other,  and  form  a  mass,  instead  of  being  distinct  and 
detached. 

Others  fail  in  the  trace  on  back,  either  being  wanting 
in  places,  or  absent  altogether ;  both  faults. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  most  frequent  faults  is  in  the 
chain,  which  should,  as  nearly  as  possible,  correspond  in 
the  markings  each  side  of  the  neck  and  shoulders,  but  is 
often  found  good  on  one  side,  and  faint  and  pale  on  the 
other,  or  often  faulty  on  both  sides  ;  others  are  wrong  in 
coat,  by  being  too  long  and  fine,  when  it  should  be  short 
and  rather  hard  in  texture. 

Some  are  too  heavily  marked  on  the  sides  of  the 
thighs  and  rump,  which  give  a  blotchy  look,  and  are  much 
disliked  by  most  judges. 

And  lastly,  some  have  either  no  belly  spots  at  all,  or 
not  the  regulation  number  ;  but,  I  think,  few  English 
Rabbits  would  be  thrown  out  on  this  account  alone,  if 
fairly  good  in  the  several  other  desired  points. 

I  consider  them  as  a  rule  to  be  decidedly  hardy  and 
of  good  constitution,  or  they  would  probably  not  have 
survived  to  the  present  day,  as  I  can  answer  for  it,  the 
majority  of  young  fanciers  in  my  boyhood  had  none  of  the 
luxurious  Rabbitries  we  now  see  in  all  directions  over  the 
country  ;  and  the  Spotted  Butterflies  were  as  a  rule  the 
variety  kept,  and  almost  invariably  in  outside  hutches  ; 


96  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

but,  I  am  bound  to  say  that  when  I  took  up  exhibiting 
rabbits,  my  English,  as  well  as  all  the  others,  were 
always  kept  inside  a  house,  or  shed,  and  I  am  sure  they 
were  all  the  better  for  it. 

I  have  always  found  them  good  doers,  not  requiring 
any  special  feeding,  and  lively  and  cheerful  in  their 
temperament ;  I  have  little  doubt,  although  I  have  not 
tried  them  since  I  was  able  to  do  so,  that  they  would  suit 
for  turning  down,  in  a  sheltered  and  protected  place,  to 
be  used  for  the  table  only,  in  which  case  I  should  allow 
one  buck  with  five  or  six  does,  of  course,  first  hardening 
them  for  a  while  in  outside  hutches,  and  making  the 
start  the  end  of  April,  or  beginning  of  May,  and  with 
bucks  of  six  or  seven  months  and  does  of  eight  or  nine 
months  old. 

The  does  are  fairly  prolific,  having  litters  of  from 
five  to  seven  at  a  time,  sometimes  more,  and  are  generally 
kind  and  attentive  mothers,  but  I  think  it  wise  not  to 
allow  them  to  have  more  than  two  litters  a  year,  even  if 
they  are  not  shown  ;  and  does  kept  for  show  are  better  not 
bred  from  while  the  exhibition  strain  and  excitement  is  on. 
With  respect  to  weight,  in  my  opinion  eight  pounds 
should  be  the  outside  limit,  and  if  I  could  have  them 
correct  in  their  points  I  would  prefer  them  from  six  to 
seven  pounds.  Although  originally  kept  for  utility  and 
pets,  this  variety  has  now  become  a  popular  fancy  article, 
and  is  not  wanted  for  quantity,  but  the  concentration  of 
quality.  At  many  shows  I  have  seen  and  read  of  the 
competition  being  as  keen  in  the  English  as  in  any 
variety  of  Rabbit  exhibited. 


ENGLISH—"  LYRIC." 
Winner  of  many  Prizes,  etc.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


SILVER  GREY,   DARK— "CH.   MODEL." 
Owner,  T.  A.  Luck,  St  Leonards. 


To  face  page  97. 


THE  ENGLISH  RABBIT 


97 


I  may  say  that  they  are  generally  looked  upon  as 
good  Selling  Class,  Any  Other  Variety,  and  Gift  Class 
Rabbits,  and  anything  like  a  decent  specimen  is  pretty 
sure  to  "  get  into  the  money,"  and  very  often  win,  when 
entered  in  either  of  the  above  ;  of  course,  I  mean  at  shows 
where  they  have  not  provided  classes  for  the  English. 

As  I  am  giving  as  illustrations  to  this  sketch  portraits 
of  some  of  the  best  specimens  ever  seen  of  the  variety, 
perhaps  I  have  said  enough  of  this  old-fashioned 
favourite  for  the  purposes  of  these  sketches,  and  will 
append  a  scale  for  judging  it  : — 


STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  ENGLISH 

RABBITS 


Head,  not  too  coarse  and  thick    .        V  V 
Ears,  erect  and  without  white  spots 

Eyes,  rather  full  and  expressive    .      "  *  -  J  p 

Nose  markings,  forming  butterfly       '•'•?,-  "I  v 

Face  markings,  and  spots  by  eyes         •';*  ;  V 
Body,  shape,  not  too  chumpy  ;  coat,  short  and 

hard  .          .         ,'     ;V     •  Vv       v  . 

Saddle  and  trace  markings  and  belly  spots  v 

Chain,  distinctness  and  connectedness   r:  J. 

Condition  and  general  appearance          .  »•";•' 

Size,  not  exceeding  eight  pounds  .       >3&  ^  v 


5   Points 
10       „ 

5       » 
10      „ 

10      „ 

10         ,„ 

15       » 

V  '•'        •       20         „ 
'  •";  •'•••;    10       „ 

^    ;  ^;      5      » 
Total     100  Points 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE    SILVER    GREY    RABBIT 

WE  now  come  to  a  very  interesting  group  in  the  Silvers, 
of  which  I  think  the  above  named  is  the  most  popular, 
and  I  believe  my  admiration  for  some  I  saw  at  a  show 
many  years  since,  and  which  I  think  were  sent  by  my 
friend,  Rev.  D.  G.  Truss,  who  has  long  been  known  in 
the  fancy  as  a  successful  breeder,  exhibitor  and  occasional 
judge,  was  the  means  of  bringing  me  back  as  an  exhibitor. 

I  need  not  tell  most  of  my  readers  that  this  variety  is 
produced  in  three  shades — light,  medium,  and  dark — and 
it  is  entirely  a  matter  of  taste  which  is  taken  up. 

For  my  own  part,  I  greatly  prefer  the  medium,  but 
can  appreciate  the  qualities  of  the  others.  I  should  think 
the  light  shade  is  the  easiest  to  obtain,  but  to  my  mind  they 
never  have  the  brightness  and  quality  look  of  the  others. 

The  greatest  difficulty  is  to  obtain  perfect  evenness 
of  shading  "from  stem  to  stern/'  and  a  specimen 
possessing  this  quality,  well  shaped,  with  small,  neat, 
erect  ears,  will  not  be  far  out  of  the  first  three  in  a 
general  way. 

There  is  some  difference  of  opinion  amongst  breeders 
and  judges  about  size,  some  saying  they  should  be  from 
five  to  seven,  others  from  eight  to  twelve,  pounds  in 


THE  SILVER  GREY  RABBIT  99 

weight.  My  own  preference  is  for  something  between  the 
two  limits,  say  not  exceeding  nine  or  ten  pounds,  and  I 
have  handled  a  good  many  of  the  variety,  both  as  owner 
and  judge,  and  believe  the  best  I  have  ever  seen  were 
under  ten  pounds. 

I  have  the  impression  the  largest  specimens  I  have 
met  with  have  been  amongst  the  light  shades,  and  the 
smallest  amongst  the  dark,  but  this  may  be  only  my  fancy. 

I  consider,  neatness  of  shape  is  very  important  in  this 
variety,  and  greatly  adds  to  its  attractive  appearance. 

Shortness  of  coat  should  also  be  insisted  on,  otherwise 
it  loses  in  sharpness  and  brightness  of  colouring,  and,  of 
course,  evenness  is  all-important,  so  that  those  in  any 
stage  of  moulting  should  be  kept  at  home  until  that 
operation  is  completed,  as  they  will  have  little  chance  in 
competition  with  others. 

Small,  rather  fine,  well  carried  ears,  rather  full  bold 
eyes  of  dark  colour,  and  alert,  intelligent  expression  are 
valuable  points  to  secure,  and  add  much  to  the  taking 
character  of  the  specimen. 

When  first  this  variety  came  prominently  forward  into 
the  exhibition  world,  they  used  to  be  shown  together 
simply  as  Silver  Greys,  all  shades  in  one  class  ;  indeed,  I 
have  sometimes  seen  classes  simply  for  "  Silvers,"  when 
Greys,  Creams  and  Browns  had  to  compete  together. 

It  was  then  almost  as  bad  as  a  Variety  Class,  and  it 
depended  much  on  the  individual  taste  of  the  judge  which 
variety  he  went  for. 

But  now,  when  there  are  a  sufficient  number  of  keen 
and  skilful  fanciers  devoting  their  attention  to  each,  there 


ioo  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

are  usually,  at  the  larger  shows,  classes  provided  for  the 
several  sections. 

It  is  my  opinion,  but  I  am  by  no  means  certain  on  the 
point,  that  more  Silver  Greys  are  kept  at  the  present  time 
than  either  Creams  or  Browns,  and  that  of  the  Greys  the 
medium  shade  is  the  most  popular ;  but  this  is  only  my 
own  view,  and  perhaps  partly  caused  from  having  more 
of  the  latter  come  before  me  of  late  years. 

The  variety  is  not  claimed  amongst  our  home  pro- 
ductions, and  such  a  distant  clime  as  Siam  is  generally 
looked  upon  as  its  place  of  origin,  but  ever  since  its 
introduction  it  has  enjoyed  considerable  popularity  in 
this  country  and  the  Continent  of  Europe,  although  we 
do  not  find  any  reference  to  it  in  any  works  upon 
Rabbits  until  within  the  last  forty  years. 

I  believe  it  is  generally  admitted  not  only  to  be 
useful  for  table  purposes,  but  that  there  is  a  well-assured 
market  for  its  skins,  when  they  are  produced  in  quantities 
to  suit  the  furriers,  and,  although  I  have  not  personal 
experience  of  their  being  turned  out  to  live  in  a  semi-wild 
state,  have  been  informed  that  this  has  been  done,  to  a 
large  extent,  both  in  this  country  and  the  Continent,  and 
with  marked  success. 

My  experience  of  Silver  Greys  is,  that  they  are  very 
hardy  in  constitution,  better  kept  in  roomy  hutches  in 
houses  or  sheds,  but  without  artificial  heat,  and  require 
nothing  special  in  the  way  of  food. 

The  does  usually  have  from  five  to  eight  or  nine, 
but  I  consider  the  former  number  quite  enough  to  leave 
on  the  doe,  however  many  are  born,  and  put  the  others 


THE  SILVER  GREY  RABBIT,    i  , 


under  a  foster  mother  if  sufficiently  promising  to  keep 
them  all. 

They  are  rather  shy  at  littering  time,  and  are  best 
left  alone  as  much  as  possible,  as  they  are  very  inclined  to 
resent  interference  with  their  young,  although  as  a  rule 
careful,  affectionate  mothers. 

It  will  be  found  better  in  the  end  not  to  breed  from 
the  does  until  they  are  eleven  or  twelve  months  old,  and 
I  should  not  advise  putting  the  bucks  at  stud  under  ten 
months,  and  if  a  little  older  it  will  be  all  the  better. 

It  is  not  a  very  early  maturing  variety.  When  born 
they  are  a  dull  slate  colour,  which  soon  changes  to  almost 
black,  and  they  are  seldom  fit  to  show  under  six  to  eight 
months,  when  they  begin  to  get  into  form  ;  but  it  is  not 
often  any  of  them  can  be  shown  in  Young  Classes,  unless 
restricted  to  their  own  variety,  as  they  would  have  no 
chance  against  Lops,  Dutch,  or  some  others,  of  the  same  age. 

My  friend,  Enoch  Hutton,  F.Z.S.,  who  has  had  a  life- 
long experience  as  a  fancier  and  judge,  has  written  so 
eulogistically  of  Silver  Greys,  in  which  I  concur  almost 
entirely,  except  in  the  matter  of  the  weight  of  the  speci- 
mens for  show  purposes,  that  I  am  tempted  to  give  some 
extracts  from  his  views  about  them  : — 

"  My  leaning  towards  this  class  of  Rabbit,  over  all 
others,  will  no  doubt  lay  me  open  to  criticism  when  I 
may  be  charged  with  a  weakness  for  them ;  but  whether 
this  may  be  looked  upon  as  a  weakness,  or  only  a  due 
appreciation  of  its  grand  properties,  I  leave  others  to 
determine,  but  I  will  content  myself  by  saying,  that  were 
one  each  of  all  the  fancy  breeds  placed  before  me,  in  com- 


102  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 


petitition  for  a  Champion  Prize,  or  Cup,  all  of  which 
were  about  perfect  of  their  kinds,  I  should  have  no  hesita- 
tion whatever  in  deciding  upon  the  Silver  Grey  as  the 
recipient  of  that  honour. 

"  This  will  not  be  looked  upon  so  pleasantly  by  the 
breeders  of  other  varieties,  but  I  think  I  am  justified  in 
the  position  I  take,  considering  the  difficulty  in  producing 
a  first-rate  specimen,  and  its  great  value  when  produced, 
either  alive  or  dead,  and  by  value  I  do  not  refer  to  its 
exhibition  worth  alone,  as  that  is  of  a  varying  and  fleeting 
character,  but  of  the  great  value  of  the  fur  for  trimming 
and  clothing  purposes. 

"There  is  no  variety  more  hardy  or  that  requires  so 
little  attention,  as  they  thrive  under  almost  any  circum- 
stances ;  but  they  are  not  so  prolific  as  some  others,  for 
instance  the  Dutch,  the  Polish,  or  the  Himalayans,  and 
do  not  produce  so  many  at  a  birth  ;  but  this  is  so  in  all 
the  varieties  of  large  rabbits,  as  the  Lops,  Belgian  Hares 
and  Patagonians.  In  size  they  should  be  large,  in  fact  I 
would  go  so  far  as  to  say,  the  larger  the  better,  for  it  is 
very  seldom  that  a  really  good  specimen  is  seen  of  a 
small  size,  and  by  judicious  crossing  and  being  careful,  in 
all  cases,  to  secure  crosses  of  blood  as  far  removed  as 
possible  from  each  other,  great  size  is  easily  attained,  and 
if  this  point  be  strictly  carried  out,  it  is  not  needful  that 
both  sides  should  be  large  ones,  as  it  is  often  the  case  that 
one  large  animal  and  one  of  a  medium,  or  even  small  size, 
if  perfectly  healthy,  will  produce  the  finest  specimens. 

"  No  one  will  dispute  the  fact  that  if  the  fur  and  flesh  be 
the  objects  sought  after,  the  largest  are  the  most  valuable. 


SILVER   GREY,    MEDIUM — "CH.   DARLING   ETHEL." 
Owners,  Messrs  Oddy  and  Son. 


To  face  page  102. 


SILVER   GREY,    LIGHT — "LORD   GREY." 
Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


THE  SILVER  GREY  RABBIT  103 

"In  shape  they  should  be  plump,  high  on  the  hind 
quarters,  loin  well  filled,  neck  low,  head  rather  large  and 
keeping  in  good  proportion  with  the  body,  broad  to  the 
front  and  on  no  account  tapering  or  snipey,  and  the  dew- 
lap of  the  doe  cannot  be  too  large,  broad,  or  too  much  to 
the  front,  nothing  in  my  opinion  looking  so  comfortable 
as  a  well-developed  specimen  at  repose,  with  its  head  well 
cushioned  on  a  good  large  dewlap. 

"  Some  judges,  I  know,  object  to  this  point,  but  why  I 
could  never  ascertain,  for,  to  say  the  least,  a  rabbit  with  a 
large  dewlap  has  more  fur  than  one  without  it,  besides 
the  elegant  appearance  it  gives  the  animal. 

"  The  eye,  should  be  large,  dark  and  protruding,  and 
bold  in  appearance  ;  ears  small  rather  than  large,  neat 
and  well  pricked  ;  legs  and  feet,  though  neat  and  compact, 
strong  in  bone  and  perfectly  shaped. 

"  Although  there  are  many  handsome  specimens  in  their 
natural  warrens,  yet  when  first  introduced  into  this  country 
most  were  very  dark  in  colour,  though  very  even  through- 
out ;  but  with  great  care  and  good  selection  in  breeding, 
even  with  the  help  of  warmth,  which  they  require  to  bring 
them  to  perfection,  have  produced  some  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  perfect  of  their  kind,  which  have  taken  the 
lead  at  many  of  our  exhibitions. 

"  As  at  present  bred,  there  are  two  kinds,  or  shades,  of 
colour,  viz.,  the  dark  or  heavily  ticked,  and  the  light  or 
thinly  ticked  ones  ;  the  latter  being  preferred  by  some 
judges,  while  to  my  taste  the  former  are  the  more 
perfect,  these  being  much  more  difficult  to  produce  than; 
the  light  ones. 


io4  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

"  The  light  shade  is  often  termed  '  mealy'  on  account 
of  the  sameness  or  flatness  of  appearance  ;  while  the  dark 
shade  always  presents  a  more  lively  or  sparkling  surface, 
which  is  produced  by  ticking,  a  point  I  will  shortly 
endeavour  to  explain. 

"There  is  a  third  shade  which  should  be  avoided 
altogether,  except  for  crossing  or  the  production  of  the  Silver 
Fawn — I  refer  to  the  light  shade,  with  an  ochrey  or  creamy 
tinge,  which  gives  the  fur  a  sickly  or  faded  appearance. 

"  In  the  first-named  shade  we  find  the  skin  of  a  pale 
flesh  colour,  the  thick,  fine,  short  undercoat,  or  pily 
fur,  or  what  is  generally  termed  the  ground  colour,  of  a 
dark  slate,  and  over  this  comes  the  silvering  and  ticking, 
which  is  composed  of  longer  and  stronger  hairs,  thickly 
interspersed  with  the  undercoat,  passing  through  to  the 
surface,  and  determining  the  shade  of  colour,  part  of 
these  hairs  being  pure  glistening  white,  and  the  rest  of  a 
rich  shining  black,  these  being  dispersed  in  the  proportion 
of  about  five  white  hairs  to  one  black  one,  the  white 
forming  the  silvering  and  the  black  the  ticking. 

<c  These  are  generally  a  little  darker  on  the  head  and 
ears,  for  on  account  of  the  darker  shades  of  the  ground 
colour,  and  the  shortness  of  the  fur  on  those  parts,  it  is 
next  to  impossible  to  get  the  colour  even  with  that  of  the 
body,  and  consequently  some  allowance  should  be  made 
in  judging  them  ;  while,  on  the  contrary,  the  light  shade 
can  be  got  more  even  in  appearance,  the  ground  colour 
being  much  lighter  than  in  the  darker  shades. 

"  In  the  light  shade  we  find  the  skin  very  similar  to 
that  of  the  dark  shade,  but  perhaps  a  little  more  pinky, 


THE  SILVER  GREY  RABBIT  105 

the  under  or  pily  coat  paler  and  less  decided  in  tint,  the 
silvering  and  ticking  being  composed  of  about  ten  white 
hairs  to  one  black  one. 

"  But  in  giving  these  figures,  I  am  open  to  correction, 
as  it  would  be  a  difficult  process  to  determine  to  a  certainty  ; 
and  yet  this  is  the  conclusion  to  which  I  have  come,  after 
very  careful  examination  of  several  high-class  specimens 
of  both  the  colours. 

"  For  the  show  pen,  I  must  admit  that  evenness  is  a 
very  desirable  point,  and  where  one  of  the  darker  variety 
is  found  perfectly  even  I  should  allow  fifteen  points, 
while  in  the  lighter  colour  I  would  allow  only  ten  points. 

"  In  judging  a  class  of,  say,  twenty  Silver  Greys,  my 
method  is  as  follows : — I  first  go  over  them  while  in  the  pens, 
selecting  about  a  dozen  that  present  some  quality  ;  next 
I  examine  them  for  silvering  and  evenness,  selecting  about 
eight,  and  giving  the  remaining  four  a  '  Commended ' 
each  ;  then  I  take  the  others  out  and  examine  them 
thoroughly,  c  Highly  Commending '  about  three  and 
the  remaining  five  I  have  placed  on  a  table,  under  a 
strong  light,  when  the  veriest  novice  can  select  the  three 
winners,  and  the  two  .left  out  are  entitled  to  a  '  Very 
Highly  Commended '  each. 

"Well-ticked  rabbits  may  be  easily  produced  by 
keeping  up  a  cross  of  darker  shade,  or  salt  and  pepper 
coloured  ones,  with  the  clear  light  shades,  this  being  the 
whole  secret  of  success  ;  but  great  care  should  be  taken 
to  exclude  all  approach  to  the  pinky  or  ochrey  shade, 
which  would  destroy  all  chance  of  attaining  the  coveted 
frosted,  glistening  surface. 


106  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

"  When  just  born  the  young  are  of  a  slatey  blue  colour, 
and  at  about  a  month  old  they  appear  to  be  quite  black, 
but  on  close  examination  they  will  be  found  to  be  broken 
all  through  the  fur  with  white  hairs,  and  at  the  first  moult 
this  changes  to  the  real  silvering  or  light  colour,  when  it 
may  be  determined  as  to  which  are  the  best ;  but  they 
are  never  at  their  best  till  after  the  second  moult,  and 
generally  not  till  they  are  about  twelve  months  old,  the  does 
usually  assuming  their  grandeur  soon  after  the  first  litter. 

"  While  in  a  brood  the  does  are  generally  the  best,  so 
that  when  a  buck  is  found  equal  to  a  doe  in  all  points, 
some  allowance  should  be  made  in  its  favour. 


"STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  DARK 

SILVER  GREY  RABBITS 

Head,  of  fair  size  without  tapering        .         .       5  Points 
Eyes,  large,  dark  and  protruding  .         .       5 

Ears,  small,  with  erect  carriage     ...        5 
Shape,  plump,  with  a  good  loin     ...        5 
Coat,  thick,  close  and  fine     .         .  .5 

Ground  colour,  dark  slate     .         .          .         .10 

Silvering,  sharp  and  clear     .          .          .          .10 

Ticking,  distinct  and  bright          .          .          .     15 
Evenness,  as  uniform  as  possible  .          .  15 

Dewlap,  large  and  broad       .         .          .         .10 

Condition  .......        5 

Size,  from  eight  to  twelve  pounds          .          .10      „ 


"Total          100  Points 


THE  SILVER  GREY  RABBIT  107 

"  In  the  lighter  shades  the  difference  in  points  should 
be  silvering  fifteen,  and  evenness  ten,  which  brings  it  up  to 
the  same  total  of  a  hundred  points,  where  classes  are 
provided  for  them  apart  from  the  dark  shade. 

"  Disqualifications. — (i)  A  tawny  white  shade  of  coat ; 
(2)  white  on  nose,  ears,  feet  or  tail ;  (3)  any  blotches,  or 
foreign  colour  on  any  part  of  body  ;  (4)  crooked  limbs, 
lop  or  half  lop  ears,  or  light  or  broken  eyes,  the  latter 
amounting  to  little  more  than  a  defect,  and  if  only  slight 
may  deduct  a  few  points  only  on  that  account,  allow- 
ing them  to  compete." 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE    SILVER    FAWN    OR    CREAM    RABBIT 

THIS  variety,  which  is  also  often  called  Silver  Fawn,  is 
another  which  seems  to  be  generally  believed  to  have  a 
foreign  origin  and  does  not  appear  to  have  been  seen  in 
this  country  until  within  the  last  thirty  years,  but  they 
were  known  on  the  Continent  of  Europe  for  some  time 
previously,  and  the  skins  have  been  objects  of  value  for 
various  purposes. 

They  resemble  their  cousins,  the  Silver  Greys,  from 
whom  indeed  many  persons  allege  they  are  an  offshoot,  in 
being  very  hardy  in  constitution  and  prolific  as  breeders, 
but  three  or  four  are  recommended  as  enough  to  leave 
upon  the  doe,  placing  the  remainder  under  a  foster  mother. 

There  is  a  tendency,  in  this  variety,  for  the  shades  of 
colour  on  the  heads  to  be  stronger  than  on  the  rest  of 
the  animal,  but  this  may  be  overcome  in  time,  by  careful 
mating  with  those  least  marked  in  that  way. 

Of  course,  evenness  is  a  greatly-desired  quality,  and 
the  more  uniform  the  colour  of  a  specimen  is,  joined  with 
shortness  of  coat,  richness  of  tint  of  undercoat,  neat, 
short,  erect  ears,  and  brown  eyes,  bright  clear  and 
expressive,  the  more  nearly  will  it  approach  the  desired 
standard.  I  think  they  may  be  said  to  have  two  divisions 
of  shade — those  richest  in  under  colour  being  termed 

108 


THE  SILVER  FAWN  OR  CREAM  RABBIT     109 

Silver  Fawns,  and  the  others  Silver  Creams  ;  the  silvering^ 
in  both  is  important,  and  should  be  sharp  rather  than 
mealy  in  character ;  the  actual  colour  is  difficult  to 
describe  in  writing,  but  can  be  easily  appreciated  by 
comparison  of  specimens  of  each.  There  is  some  differ- 
ence  of  opinion,  amongst  breeders  and  judges,  as  to  the  , 
ideal  weight  of  this  variety,  but  I  think  the  majority 
agree  they  should  not  exceed  seven  pounds  for  the 
show  pen  ;  of  course,  those  bred  for  the  table,  or  for  their 
skins,  may  be  as  large  as  possible,  as  in  those  cases 
quantity  will  be  desired  rather  than  quality,  and  for  the 
same  reason  dewlaps  will  not  be  any  drawbacks  ;  but  for 
my  own  part,  I  am  so  disposed  to  favour  neatness  of 
shape  and  outline  in  all  the  three  divisions  of  "  Silvers," 
that  I  prefer  the  absence  of  dewlaps  in  them  all,  as> 
although  it  may  add  much  to  the  comfortable-looking 
appearance  of  specimens  when  at  rest,  I  think  it  is  at  the 
sacrifice  of  smartness  ;  and,  other  points  being  equal,  I 
should  put  a  specimen  with  pronounced  dewlap  below 
one  without  it. 

My  idea  of  the  variety  may  be  given  shortly  as 
follows  : — 

Head  well  shaped,  without  being  very  long  ;  ears 
small,  not  exceeding  four  inches  in  .a  matured  specimen  ; 
feet,  moderate  size ;  legs  not  too  long  and  without 
markings ;  body  nicely  rounded  and  rather  cobby  in 
shape ;  coat  rather  short  and  crisp,  with  rich  under 
colour  when  turned  back,  and  elastic  to  spring  back  into 
place  ;  fore  and  hind  feet,  chest  and  tail,  all  of  a  rich 
silvery  fawn.  The  main  difference  between  Creams  and 


no  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

Fawns  is  in  the  shading  of  their  coats,  the  silvering  of 
the  former  being  more  in  evidence  than  in  the  latter, 
but  it  will  be  found  that  Silver  Creams  and  Silver 
Fawns  will  often  appear  in  the  same  litter,  and  from 
parents  of  either  of  those  colours. 

I  may  be  mistaken,  but  it  is  my  impression  there  are 
not  so  many  Silver  Creams  or  Fawns  seen  at  our  shows 
as  used  to  be  exhibited  some  ten  or  twelve  years  since, 
perhaps  the  decided  run  of  popular  favour  on  the 
Belgian  Hare  and  Old  English  Rabbits  may  have 
something  to  do  with  it,  if  I  am  correct  in  my  view. 

My  old  friend,  Enoch  Hutton,  F.Z.S.,  who  is 
perhaps  one  of  the  most  experienced  breeders  of  most 
varieties  of  Rabbits,  now  living,  wrote  some  years  since 
his  opinions  about  Silver  Creams  as  follows  : — 

"The  Silver  Cream,  or,  to  be  more  explicit  in  its 
designation,  the  Silver  Fawn  Rabbit,  is  the  remote  part 
of  the  Silver  Grey,  and,  though  but  recently  introduced 
to  the  show  pen,  bids  fair  to  attain  a  high  position,  and 
even  to  rival  the  Silver  Grey  in  popularity  and  usefulness. 

"  Many  crosses  have  been  introduced  of  late,  with  an 
eye  to  the  production  of  this  variety,  and  with  a  view  to 
improving  the  evenness  and  richness  of  ground  colour  ; 
but  as  yet  little  has  been  done  in  that  direction,  for 
although  at  a  glance  most  of  such  crosses  have  a  super- 
ficial appearance  sufficient  to  deceive  a  beginner,  yet, 
on  careful  examination,  these  have  proved  of  little  value, 
the  ground  colour  being  generally  white,  or  very  pale 
fawn,  the  belly  and  feet  pure  white,  many  showing  the 
shape  of  head,  ear  and  gait  of  the  Belgian  Hare  ;  and 


THE  SILVER  FAWN  OR  CREAM  RABBIT     in 

while  quite  even  in  colour,  and  free  from  smuttiness  on 
head,  ears  and  nose,  at  least  one  half  of  the  fur  has  been 
of  no  more  value  than  that  of  the  common  white  rabbit, 
while  the  ticking  and  silvering,  which  are  indispensable  in 
a  good  specimen,  have  been  almost  '  nil ' — and  it  is 
my  opinion  that  if  those  produced  solely  from  the  Silver 
Greys  were  carefully  selected,  and  bred  together,  a  race 
would  result  that  would  be  quite  sure  to  reproduce  true  to 
colour,  and  in  time  the  shady  part  might  be  bred  out ;  and, 
so  far,  I  look  upon  it  as  a  mistake  to  try  to  manufacture 
them,  while  such  good  materials  are  at  hand,  ready  made. 

"  If,  however,  every  other  good  and  useful  property  is 
to  be  forfeited  for  the  so-called  evenness,  then,  of  course, 
the  new  product  will  be  taken  by  the  careless  as  bearing 
the  palm,  while  in  truth  the  old  style,  or  those  produced 
originally  from  the  Silver  Grey,  are  far  more  even  in 
colour,  being  sound  on  the  under  surface  as  well  as  on 
the  back,  while  the  new  ones  are  mostly  white,  the  only 
disadvantage  of  the  former  being  the  little  cloudiness  on 
head  and  ears,  while  their  furs  are  much  more  valuable 
than  those  of  the  new  variety,  for  little  more  than  half 
the  fur  of  the  latter  is  of  any  value. 

"  The  dark  shade  on  the  head  is  caused  by  a  few  black 
hairs,  or  ticking,  which  comes  from  the  Silver  Grey,  and 
which,  I  have  no  doubt,  might  with  a  little  care  be  bred  out." 

My  main  object  has  been  to  instruct,  or  to  try  and  place 
the  beginner  in  the  way  of  selecting  for  himself,  and  to  this 
end  I  will  give  some  rules  by  which  I  should  proceed 
in  my  selection  of  the  proper  rabbits  from  which  to  breed. 

In   shape,  size,    style   and    carriage    they    should   be 


1 12  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

similar  to  the  Silver  Grey.  The  ground  colour  should 
be  silver  fawn,  this  applying  to  the  under  part  as  well, 
although  they  will  always  be  somewhat  pale  there.  This 
should  be  well  intermixed  with  a  longer  and  stronger 
kind  of  hair,  which,  working  through  the  ground  colour, 
forms  the  effect  on  the  surface  known  as  silvering  and 
ticking,  and  these  are  always  found  in  a  good  specimen 
in  about  the  proportions,  speaking  roundly,  of  six  white 
to  one  deep  fawn  and  red  one.  As  a  rule,  the  does  are 
much  better  than  the  bucks. 

As  a  guide,  I  would  lay  down  the  points  as  follows  : — 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  THE 
SILVER  FAWN  OR  CREAM  RABBIT 

Head         .......       5  Points 

Ears  -  .,  5       „ 

Eyes  .  5 

Coat  5       „ 

Ground  colour,  rich  fawn     .          .          .          .     20       ,, 

Silvering    .          .          .        -,».".       .        '..         .      15       „ 
Ticking      .          .          .          .          .          .  15       ,, 

Evenness,  taking  the  belly  as  well  as  other  parts   10       „ 
Dewlap      .         .         .         .         .  •'.     10       ,, 

Size  and  shape     .         .      ,  .         >;       .         .10,, 
Condition  .          .          .         i,          .          .        5       ,, 


Total     100  Points 

The   disqualifications   are  spots  on    any  part  of  the 
animal,  crooked  limbs,  and  lop,  or  half  lop,  ears,  etc. 


SILVER   FAWN— "CH.   ORANGE  QUEEN.' 
Owners,  Messrs  Barkham  and  Stones. 


SILVER    FAWN— "  CH.    LINCOLN    HERO." 
Owner,  T.  A.  Luck. 


To  face  page  112. 


CHAPTER   XVII 

THE    SILVER    BROWN     RABBIT 

THIS  is  certainly  comparatively  a  newcomer  into  the 
fancy,  as  there  are  plenty  of  men  now  living  who 
remember  its  first  appearance  and  it  is  claimed  to  be  the 
result  of  a  cross  between  a  Belgiam  Hare^ Rabbit  and  a 
Silver  Grey  ;  nevertheless  it  has  long  been  sufficiently 
established  to  breed  true  to  type  and  colour,  and  has  many 
admirers.  I  do  not  think  it  has,  or  ever  had,  the  same 
amount  of  popularity  enjoyed  by  Silver  Greys,  Creams 
and  Fawns,  but  it  has  a  good  deal  of  beauty  of  its  own. 

In  cobbiness  and  neatness  of  shape  it  takes  more 
after  the  Silver  Greys,  which  it  also  resembles  in  its 
lively  manner  of  action,  and  the  evenness  and  uniformity 
of  ticking  ;  the  ears,  which  should  not  be  wide  or  much 
open  towards  the  upper  part,  are  small,  being  preferred 
not  exceeding  four  inches  in  length,  and  should  |  be  free 
from  the  lacing  at  the  edges  which  is  so  desired  in  the 
Belgian  Hare. 

The  eyes,  which  are  dark  and  protruding  and  free  from 
any  whiteness,  or  even  paleness,  in  the  tint  of  the  hair 
surrounding  them,  should  be  expressive  and  intelligent- 
looking. 

H  113 


n4  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

The  legs  are  fairly  long,  but  not  strong  in  bone,  as 
all  coarseness  is  to  be  avoided,  and  they  should  be  without 
any  markings,  just  the  same  tint  as  rest  of  body,  and  both 
fore  and  hind  legs  without  white  over  or  under. 

The  chest  must  be  as  rich  in  tint  as  the  body  colour, 
many  failing  in  this  respect  by  being  pale  or  nearly 
white  in  this  part,  with  much  prejudice  to  the  general 
effect. 

The  tail  should  be  of  even  colour,  not  white  or  pale, 
but  a  greyish  blue,  showing  the  ticking  or  silvering  well 
defined. 

In  size  I  prefer  them  rather  smaller  than  the  Greys 
or  Creams,  for  exhibition  specimens,  as  in  this  variety 
the  larger  animals  seem  to  lack  neatness  and  develop  a 
coarse  appearance,  which  I  do  not  like  at  all. 

In  my  opinion,  those  correct  in  other  respects 
should  not  exceed  eight  pounds,  and  I  have  seen  many  of 
the  best  between  six  and  eight  pounds  in  weight. 

Of  course,  those  who  breed  for  the  table,  or  for  the 
skins  of  their  animals,  can  get  them  up  to  a  much 
greater  size,  but  I  am  writing  with  the  object  of  giving 
some  useful  hints  to  those  who  are  mainly  concerned 
with  stock  for  exhibition,  as  there  are  plenty  of  books 
dealing  with  the  utility  side  of  the  question. 

As  I  have  said  of  some  other  varieties,  so  I  say  of 
this,  it  will  be  found  best  not  to  keep  on  breeding  from 
two  specimens  of  the  Silver  Brown,  even  though  they 
may  both  be  good  in  themselves,  as  the  occasional  use  of  a 
Silver  Fawn,  rich  in  under  colour,  with  one  of  the 
Browns,  will  be  found  to  better  preserve  the  desired 


THE  SILVER  BROWN  RABBIT  115 

shade,  and  it  will  also  assist  in  removing  traces  of  the 
original  Belgian  Hare  ancestry,  which  often  make  them- 
selves apparent  in  the  ear  lacing,  thought  so  detrimental 
in  Silver  Browns. 

Although  the  does  of  this  variety  are  fairly  prolific, 
and  make  good  mothers  in  a  general  way,  they  do  not 
often  have  large  litters  at  a  time,  the  number  rarely 
exceeding  eight,  and  more  often  four  or  five,  but  it  is  not 
wise  to  leave  more  than  four  upon  the  doe,  placing  the 
others,  if  they  seem  good  enough  in  promise,  under 
the  care  of  a  Dutch  or  Polish,  to  rear. 

I  need  not  give  any  directions  about  feeding,  etc.,  as 
this  variety  requires  nothing  special,  and  what  I  have  said 
of  several  others  will  equally  apply  in  this  case. 

I  have  seen  it  stated,  on  the  authority  of  a  very  well- 
known  breeder,  that  the  skins  of  Silver  Browns  are 
thought  so  much  of  by  the  furriers,  that  as  much  as  from 
ninety  to  one  hundred  shillings  per  dozen  have  been 
paid  for  them.  All  I  can  say  of  the  matter  is,  that  if  even 
half  that  amount  can  be  obtained,  I  think  it  would  prove 
very  remunerative  to  those  who  have  the  necessary 
accommodation  and  time  to  bestow  on  the  undertaking,  to 
breed  this  variety  entirely  with  that  object  in  view. 

Mr  J.  H.  Roberts,  whose  long  experience  as  a  fancier 
and  judge  entitles  his  opinion  to  considerable  weight, 
writes  as  follows  of  Silver  Browns  : — 

c<  The  colour  of  the  coat  is  made  up  of  three  shades, 
the  brown  of  which  should  be  most  prominent,  beauti- 
fully interspersed  with  white  and  black  hairs,  called  tick- 
ing. Over  this  should  appear  a  kind  of  frostiness, 


n6  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

delightfully  sparkling  to  the  eye.  The  ground  colour 
next  to  the  skin  should  be  of  a  dark  slaty  appearance, 
the  darker  the  better,  as  in  Silver  Greys  ;  then  comes  a 
lovely  rich  brown  with  tints  of  purple,  this  is  a  shade 
almost  indescribable,  terminating  on  top  with  an  even 
mixture  of  the  three  distinct  colours,  viz.,  brown,  black 
and  white  hairs.  The  amount  of  colour  on  the  surface 
constitutes  to  a  greater  or  lesser  degree  the  demarcation  of 
the  different  shades  required  to  make  up  a  dark,  medium, 
or  light  shade. 

"The  points  to  be  avoided  are  :  (i)  Unevenness  in 
shade  of  colour  throughout,  from  the  nose  to  the  end  of 
the  tail  ;  (2)  having  what  is  termed  a  cloudy  head,  that 
is,  the  head  and  ears  being  much  darker  in  colour  than 
the  body  ;  (3)  ears  long  and  tulip-shaped,  with  fringe,  or 
what  is  known  as  beading,  round  the  top,  this  should 
especially  be  bred  out  and  be  beadless  ;  (4)  barred  or 
brown  front  feet,  or  hind  feet  white  or  partially  so  ;  (5) 
white  speck  on  the  nose,  or  light  chest ;  and  (6)  fur  or 
coat  long  and  open,  with  pale  ground  colour. 

All  these  are  defects  which  are  to  be  found,  not  only 
in  this  variety,  but  also  in  others  of  the  Silver  tribe. 

The  appearance  should  be  cobby  altogether,  in  size 
rather  longer  than  a  Dutch,  weight  about  seven  or  eight 
pounds,  having  neat,  short  ears,  showing  as  much  front  as 
possible,  without  the  inner  ear  being  visible. 

I  consider  the  eyes  important  in  selling  the  rabbit  to 
advantage  ;  these  should  be  of  a  sparkling  rich  dark  hazel 
colour,  rather  large  and  prominent. 

Fur  short  and   thick,    to   feel   soft   and    silky   when 


SILVER   BROWN— "CH.    FIRST   FAVOURITE." 
Owners,  Messrs  Tee  and  Son. 


To  face  page  116. 


SILVER    BROWN— "  LITTLE  GOLDMINE 
Owners,  Messrs  Tee  and  Son. 


THE  SILVER  BROWN  RABBIT  117 

touched,  and  if  rubbed  back  the  wrong  way  to  fall  back 
quickly  into  position  again,  thus  indicating  that  the 
animal  is  enjoying  the  best  of  health. 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE — POINTS  OF  THE 
EXHIBITION  SILVER  BROWN  RABBIT 

Head,  fairly  round,  and  not  too  long  .  .  5 
Ears  short  and  without  lacing  .  .  .10 
Eyes,  sharp,  large  and  prominent ...  5 
Shape  and  general  appearance  .  .  .10 
Coat,  short,  fine  and  silky  .  .  .  .10 
Under  colour  deep  and  rich  .  .  .20 
Evenness  of  ticking  and  silvering.  .  .  25 
Condition,  no  fat  or  coarseness  .  .  .10 
Size,  not  exceeding  eight  pounds  ...  5 


Total     100  Points 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

CONCLUDING    REMARKS    ABOUT    RABBITS 

NEITHER  Rabbits  nor  Cavies  lend  themselves  very  much  to 
affording  materials  for  anecdotes,  but  the  following  short 
article,  which  appeared  in  the  Leisure  Hour  for  September 
last,  may  be  interesting  to  some  of  my  readers  : — 

UTHE  RABBIT  IN  AUSTRALIA 

"  It  is  some  4000  years  since  the  wise  man  drew  atten- 
tion to  the  energy  and  enterprise  of  the  "  conies,"  which, 
though  a  feeble  folk,  had  their  dwelling  in  the  rocks. 

"  In  Australia  the  coney,  which  we  may  freely  translate 
as  the  rabbit,  has  well  sustained  his  reputation. 

"  It  is  only  about  thirty  years  since  the  first  pairs  were 
liberated  in  the  State  of  Victoria,  and  yet  already  they 
have  spread  to  every  State  in  the  continent. 

"  At  first,  the  wire  fences,  which  were  erected  between 
Victoria  and  South  Australia,  were  expected  to  check  his 
western  march,  while  the  Murray  River  was  confidently 
regarded  as  a  bar  to  his  progress  north. 

"  But  he  climbed  over  or  burrowed  under  the  former 

118 


REMARKS  ABOUT  RABBITS  119 

and  swam  the  latter,  until  at  last  the  attempt  to  confine 
his  sphere  of  operations  has  been  practically  abandoned. 

"  Queensland  alone,  with  a  desperate  system  of  wire 
netting  fences,  still  keeps  up  the  hopeless  battle.  But  it 
was  taken  for  granted  that  the  arid,  waterless  desert 
between  South  Australia  and  West  Australia  would  prove 
an  insuperable  barrier,  and  save  one  State,  at  least,  from 
the  pest. 

"However,  this  hope  was  just  as  ill  founded  as  the 
others.  A  year  or  two  ago  it  was  announced  that  rabbits 
had  been  seen  on  the  gold-fields. 

u  Since  then  the  irrepressible  bunny  has  increased  and 
spread,  until,  last  week,  the  people  of  Esperance,  a  port 
on  the  south  coast  some  distance  east  of  Albany,  and  the 
centre  of  a  fair  area  of  good  grazing  country,  asked  the 
Government  to  take  steps  to  protect  them  from  the 
invader.  They  want  a  netting  fence  built  to  the  east  of 
their  district,  or  else,  they  say,  a  big  tract  of  grazing 
country  will  be  ruined.  The  energy  and  fecundity  of  the 
rabbit  in  this  new  country  is  amazing.  Climate,  soil  and 
surroundings  all  seem  to  suit  him,  and,  like  the  old 
pioneers,  he  has  made  up  his  mind  to  stay." 

The  following  paragraph,  which  I  saw  last  autumn  in 
the  Bristol  Evening  News,  shows  that  rabbits  are  some- 
times a  trouble  to  rural  districts  in  England  : — 

"  PLAGUE  OF  RABBITS  IN  THE  WEST 

"  Farmers  attending  Tiverton  Market,  in  Devonshire,, 
yesterday  brought  gloomy  stories  of  damage  done  to 


120  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

standing  wheat    crops   by  rabbits,  at    Cove,  about  three 
miles  out. 

"  The  damage  is  of  so  extensive  a  nature,  that  the  corn 
in  many  of  the  fields  cannot  be  cut  by  machinery. 

"  Rabbits  have  also  played  havoc  with  the  oat  crops. 

"  From  many  other  parishes  in  North  and  North-  East 
Devon  similar  damage  is  reported. 

"  Rabbits  have  multiplied  to  such  an  extent  as  to 
become  a  plague .  The  trouble  has  been  growing  for  some 
two  or  three  years,  and  strenuous  efforts  have  been  made 
to  keep  the  rabbits  down. 

"  About  twelve  months  ago  a  number  of  farmers  met 
to  consider  what  steps  should  be  taken  to  prevent  the 
increase.  One  gentleman  advocated  the  use  of  poison,  a 
suggestion  which  did  not  find  favour  then. 

"  It  is  thought  now  that  more  stringent  measures  will 
have  to  be  taken  than  merely  using  guns.  It  is  estimated 
that  each  rabbit  costs  the  farmer  two  shillings  a  year. 
When  sent  to  the  local  markets  they  realise  no  more  than 
sixpence  a-piece.  The  total  damage  done  by  the  rabbits 
represents,  in  many  cases,  enough  to  pay  the  farmers' 
rents." 

The  late  Rev.  J.  C.  Atkinson,  the  well-known 
naturalist,  relates  the  following  incident,  which  may  be 
interesting  to  some  of  my  readers  : — 

"  There  seems  to  be  but  little  question  that  the  male 
partridge,  as  is  known  to  be  the  case  with  the  male  of 
other  species  of  birds,  occasionally  takes  his  turn  in  the 
labours  of  incubation. 

"  As  the  time  of  hatching  approaches,  or  is  fully  come, 


REMARKS  ABOUT  RABBITS  121 

he  may  be  seen  sedulously  assisting  his  mate  in  the 
anxious  cares  of  the  moment,  covering  part  of  the  eggs,  or 
scarcely-hatched  chicks,  as  he  sits  side  by  side  with  her  ; 
and  often,  in  the  earlier  stages,  he  seems  to  be  '  on  duty ' 
at  no  great  distance  from  the  sitting  hen.  One  instance 
came  to  my  knowledge,  many  years  since,  in  which  the 
cock  bird  was  evidently  not  only  near  the  nest,  but  ready 
to  exhibit  its  prowess  in  the  protection  of  his  mate  and 
her  charge. 

"  A  wild  rabbit  used  occasionally  to  come  out  to  feed 
somewhat  too  near  the  sacred  precincts,  and  as  often  as  he 
did  so,  the  partridge  was  sure  to  pounce  on  him,  and 
after  a  short  engagement,  in  which  wing  and  bill  were 
both  freely  used,  in  spite  of  the  great  disparity  between 
the  size  and  strength  of  the  combatants,  the  pluck  and 
determination  of  the  game  little  bird  invariably  prevailed, 
and  the  discomfited  rabbit  was  always  compelled  to  with- 
draw to  a  more  respectful  distance." 

From  Bingleys  Animal  Biography ,  written  just  a 
hundred  years  ago,  the  following  is  quoted,  which,  in  the 
face  of  what  is  taking  place  in  our  Colonies,  is  rather 
interesting  : — 

"The  fecundity  of  this  animal  is  truly  astonishing. 
It  breeds  seven  times  in  the  year,  and  generally  produces 
seven  or  eight  young  ones  at  a  time. 

"  Supposing  this  to  happen  regularly  for  about  four 
years,  the  progeny  from  a  single  pair  will  amount  to  more 
than  a  million  ! 

"  Their  numerous  enemies  prevent  any  increase  likely 
to  prove  injurious  to  mankind,  for,  besides  their  affording 


122  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

food  to  us,  they  are  devoured  also  by  animals  of  prey  of 
almost  every  description,  which  make  dreadful  havoc 
among  them. 

"Yet,  notwithstanding  this,  in  the  time  of  the  Romans 
they  once  proved  such  a  nuisance  in  the  Balearic  Isles, 
that  the  inhabitants  were  obliged  to  implore  the  assistance 
of  a  military  force  from  Augustus  to  exterminate  them." 

The  following  account  appears  in  Andersorfs 
Recreations  of  Agriculture,  of  the  regular  production  of 
a  singular  variety  of  the  rabbit  with  only  one  ear  : — 

"  A  gentleman  of  my  acquaintance  chanced  to  find  a 
rabbit  among  his  breed  that  had  only  one  ear.  He  watched 
the  progeny  of  that  creature,  and  among  them  he  found 
one  of  the  opposite  sex  that  had  only  one  ear  also  ;  he 
paired  these  two  rabbits  together,  and  has  now  a  breed  of 
rabbits  one  eared,  which  propagate  as  fast  and  as 
constantly  produce  their  like  as  the  two-eared  rabbity 
from  which  they  were  originally  descended." 

From  the  following  account,  given  by  a  gentleman 
who  amused  himself  with  raising  rabbits,  it  will  appear 
that  they  have  some  idea  of  subordination  : — 

"  I  began  with  only  one  male  and  one  female,  the 
former  white,  the  latter  grey,  and  of  their  produce,  which 
was  very  numerous,  the  greater  part  were  grey,  a  good 
number  of  them  white,  and  of  a  mixed  colour,  and  some 
few  black. 

"These  animals  seem  to  have  a  great  respect  for 
paternal  authority,  at  least  I  judge  so  from  the  great 
deference  which  all  my  rabbits  showed  for  their  first 
ancestor,  whom  I  can  always  easily  distinguish  by  his 


REMARKS  ABOUT  RABBITS  123 

whiteness,    and   who   is,  indeed,  the   only  male  of  that 
colour  I  have  preserved. 

u  It  was  to  no  purpose  that  the  family  augmented,  those 
which  in  their  turn  became  fathers  were  still  subordinate 
to  him. 

"Whenever  they  fought,  whether  on  account  of  their 
females  or  concerning  their  food,  their  great  progenitor 
would  run  to  the  place  of  dispute,  with  all  speed,  as  soon 
as  he  heard  the  noise.  No  sooner  did  they  perceive  him 
than  everything  was  presently  reduced  to  order,  and  if  he 
surprised  any  one  of  them  actually  assaulting  another,  he 
used  to  separate  him  from  the  rest,  and  punish  him  on 
the  spot. 

"  Another  proof  .of  his  dominion  is,  that  they  were 
accustomed  to  be  summoned  by  a  whistle  ;  whenever 
I  gave  the  signal,  how  distant  soever  they  might  be,  this  old 
one  immediately  put  himself  at  their  head  ;  and  though 
he  came  first,  yet  he  made  them  all  file  off  and  enter 
before  him,  nor  would  he  go  in  till  the  last." 

So  many  useful  books  have  appeared  giving  all  manner 
of  directions  about  hutches  and  houses  for  rabbit-keeping, 
and  some  of  them  containing,  also,  the  best  methods  of 
coping  with  their  ailments,  with  remedies  for  their  cure, 
that  I  think  I  need  not  go  into  these  matters,  as  these 
pages  are  mainly  written  to  give  intending  fanciers,  in  as 
concise  terms  and  condensed  form  as  possible,  some 
useful  hints  as  to  what  are  the  points  to  be  sought  for  in 
breeding  or  purchasing  the  nearest  approach  to  per- 
fection in  the  several  varieties  which  are  to  be  seen  at  the 
shows,  which  are  now  being  held  so  extensively  in  these 


i24  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

and  other  countries,  providing  recreation,  and  in  many 
cases,  where  judgment  and  attention  is  bestowed  upon 
them,  substantial  remuneration  to  thousands  of  fanciers, 
of  both  sexes,  and  in  all  ranks  of  life. 

The  following  description,  by  the  late  Rev.  J.  G. 
Wood,  F.Z.S.,  whose  works  on  Natural  History  have 
afforded  pleasure  to  thousands  of  readers,  including  the 
writer,  who  also  enjoyed  his  lectures  on  the  same  subject, 
will  give  my  readers  a  capital  notion  of  a  rabbit 
warren  : — 

"  To  see  rabbits  at  their  best,  it  is  necessary  to  be 
concealed  in  their  immediate  vicinity,  and  watch  them  in 
the  early  morning  or  in  the  fall  of  the  evening.  No  one 
can  form  any  true  conception  of  the  Rabbit  nature  until 
he  has  observed  the  little  creatures  in  their  native 
home,  and  when  he  has  done  so  he  will  seize  the  earliest 
opportunity  of  renewing  his  acquaintance  with  the  droll 
little  creatures. 

"To  describe  the  manifold  antics  of  a  rabbit  warren 
would  occupy  a  considerable  space.  The  little  animals 
are  such  quaint,  ridiculous  beings,  and  are  so  full  of  such 
comical  little  coquetries,  and  such  absurd  airs  of  assumed 
dignity,  that  they  sorely  try  the  gravity  of  the  concealed 
observer,  and  sometimes  cause  him  to  burst  into  irre- 
pressible laughter,  to  their  profound  dismay.  At  one 
time  they  are  gravely  pattering  about  the  entrances 
to  their  subterranean  homes,  occasionally  sitting  upright 
and  gazing  in  every  direction,  as  if  fearful  of  a  surprise, 
and  all  behaving  with  the  profoundest  gravity,  next  moment 
someone  gets  angry  and  stamps  his  feet  upon  the  ground 


REMARKS  ABOUT  RABBITS  125 

as  a  preliminary  observation,  before  engaging  in  a  regular 
fight.  Suddenly  a  whole  party  rush  at  full  speed, 
scampering  over  the  ground,  as  if  they  meant  to  run  for 
a  mile  at  least,  but  unexpectedly  stop  short  at  an  inviting 
tuft  of  herbage,  and  nibble  it  as  composedly  as  if  they 
had  not  run  a  yard. 

"Then  a  sudden  panic  will  flash  through  the  whole  party, 
and,  with  a  rush  and  a  scurry,  every  rabbit  hops  into  its 
burrow  and  vanishes  from  sight  like  magic.  The  spot 
that  was  so  full  of  life  a  moment  before  is  now  deserted, 
as  if  it  had  been  uninhabited  for  ages,  but  in  a  few 
minutes  one  little  nose  is  seen  cautiously  poked  out  of  a 
burrow,  the  head  and  ears  follow,  and,  in  a  very  short 
time,  the  frightened  rabbits  have  come  into  the  light 
of  day,  and  have  recommenced  their  interrupted 
pastime." 

Where  natural  warrens  do  not  exist,  artificial  ones  are 
sometimes  constructed,  but  this,  of  course,  can  only  be 
done  in  situations  where  the  soil  is  favourable. 

In  Glamorganshire,  there  is  said  to  be  an  enclosed 
warren  of  1600  or  1700  acres,  within  a  wall.  It  is 
stocked  with  various  kinds  of  rabbits,  and  produces  a  very 
good  income,  as  much  as  ,£1600  a  year.  One  foreign 
customer  is  said  to  have  paid  as  much  as  ^800  per 
annum  for  skins  of  one  particular  variety  (probably  Silver 
Greys  or  Browns),  for  the  German  fairs,  whence  they 
travel  into  Russia  and  the  East. 

In  another  county  it  is  stated  that,  on  a  farm  of 
2600  acres,  a  portion  only  of  which  was  warren,  the  skins 
and  flesh  of  the  rabbits  paid  the  rent,  besides  the 


126  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

expense  of  these  warreners.  There  were  seven  of  these 
officials,  with  dogs  and  implements  in  abundance.  Besides 
wages  they  were  allowed  all  the  rabbits  they  could  eat,  and 
bread,  bacon,  vegetables,  beer,  etc.,  from  the  farm-house 
to  be  consumed  in  their  huts  on  the  warren,  where  they 
cooked,  in  hermit-like  solitude,  for  themselves.  During 
the  killing  season  they  worked  in  the  night,  finishing  off 
at  about  two  in  the  morning.  This  took  place  every 
night  except  Sundays.  The  catch  was  immediately 
"  hulked,"  or  disembowelled,  coupled  and  then  sent  off  to 
London  in  regular  vans.  During  the  day  false  burrows 
are  dug  in  the  portion  of  the  warren  to  be  worked  in  the 
evening,  which  was  afterwards  partially  encircled  with  a 
net.  When  the  rabbits  came  out  to  feed  they  were  driven 
by  dogs  and  beaters  into  the  enclosure. 

Taking  refuge  by  droves  in  the  false  burrows,  they 
were  easily  caught  by  the  men,  those  that  escaped  them 
being  intercepted  by  the  net. 

One  bright  moonlight  night,  when  we  witnessed  the 
chase,  200  couple  were  taken.  The  dogs  not  being 
allowed  to  touch  them,  very  few  rabbits  indeed  were 
mangled  or  torn  ;  stretching  their  necks  was  the  mode  of 
death. 

I  am  very  pleased  to  see  the  enclosed  in  a  recent  issue 
of  the  Adelaide  Advertiser ,  but  it  has  always  greatly  sur- 
prised me  that  such  progressive  and  intelligent  people  as 
our  Australian  cousins  have  long  proved  themselves  to 
be,  should  have  wasted  so  much  time  and  money  in  the 
endeavour  to  extirpate  rabbits  in  their  continent,  when, 
by  making  proper  arrangements  for  the  distribution  of 


REMARKS  ABOUT  RABBITS  127 

what  is  a  popular  article  of  food,  and  with  a  practically 
increasing  demand  for  the  skins  of  the  little  animals,  it 
has  always  seemed  to  me,  instead  of  wringing  their  hands 
and  calling  down  curses  on  what  they  called  the  "  terrible 
scourge  of  rabbits,"  they  should  at  once  have  turned  to 
account  what  is  proving,  and  will  prove,  a  source  of  con- 
siderable monetary  advantage  : — 

"  At  one  time  rabbits,  when  there  was  practically  no 
demand  for  their  skins  or  carcases,  cost  the  Australian 
squatters  hundreds  of  thousands  of  pounds  annually  to 
destroy. 

"  But  at  present  men  in  the  Commonwealth  engaged 
in  trapping  them,  also  hares,  kangaroos,  wallabies, 
foxes,  opossums  and  native  bears,  earn  over  half  a 
million  sterling. 

"Twenty  millions  of  Australian  rabbit  skins  were 
sold  in  London  last  year,  representing  an  actual  money 
value  of  £i  1,000  in  cash. 

"  Besides  which,  600  bales  containing  1,600,000  skins 
were  sent  to  France,  while  over  two  and  a  half  million 
rabbits,  frozen,  with  their  skins  on,  were  shipped  to 
England  from  Victoria  alone. 

<cThus  in  1901  the  trappers'  account  for  some 
4,000,000  of  rabbits  sent  to  Europe,  besides  a  large 
Colonial  consumption,  represented  a  money  value  of 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  million  sterling." 


To  face  page  128. 


CATS 


• 


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K  £ 
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CHAPTER   XIX 

THE    LONG-HAIRED    WHITE    CAT 

I  DO  not  propose  in  these  sketches  to  go  into  the  question 
of  the  origin  of  the  Cat,  as  so  many  books  have  appeared 
going  into  details  of  this  kind,  but  rather  to  say  a  few 
words  of  the  several  varieties  seen  at  our  shows,  with 
short  descriptions  of  each,  and  plain  directions  as  to  the 
qualities  to  be  sought  for. 

To  my  mind,  the  White  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
of  the  Long  Hairs,  and  when  pure  in  tint,  in  full  coat,  and 
with  the  pale  blue  eyes  which  should  be  a  sine  qua  non  in 
this  variety,  is  an  ornament  fit  for  the  palace  of  a 
emperor. 

Unfortunately,  cats  of  this  colour  have  a  great 
tendency  to  be  more  or  less  hard  of  hearing,  many  I 
have  met  with  of  my  own  and  belonging  to  others  being 
totally  deaf ;  and  this  is  awkward  in  many  ways,  particu- 
larly if  not  kept  in  a  cattery,  and  is  such  a  drawback  that 
I  would  advise  any  intending  purchaser  to  make  sure  of 
the  hearing  capabilities  of  any  they  may  be  offered. 

Of  course  these  require  to  be  kept  scrupulously  clean, 
and  must  not  be  allowed  liberty  to  roam  at  random  and 


132  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

will  require  constant  attention  to  their  coats,  even  to  the 
extent  of  careful  washing,  drying  before  a  fire,  and 
combing  when  sent  to  a  show,  and  the  box,  which,  when 
properly  ventilated  round  the  upper  edges  just  under  the 
cover  all  round  it,  I  greatly  prefer  to  baskets,  even 
when  lined.  It  should  have  brown  holland  or  calico 
tacked  round  the  sides  to  guard  against  any  possibility  of 
soiling  the  coats,  and  the  bedding  for  them,  as  indeed  for 
all  cats,  should  either  be  paper  shavings,  such  as  may  be 
got  from  bookbinders  and  many  stationers,  or  what  is 
known  as  reed  straw. 

The  head  should  be  somewhat  broad,  round  and 
fairly  large,  short  in  face,  eyes  wide  apart,  cheeks,  fore- 
head and  round  mouth  well  furnished  with  hair. 

Ears  small  and  well  carried,  fully  supplied  with  soft 
fine  hair  outside,  and  tufts  of  hair  inside,  with  points  to 
tips. 

Eyes  bright  and  large,  nearly  round  in  shape,  and  as 
much  the  shade  known  as  turquoise  as  possible,  and 
matching  each  other,  odd  eyes  being  a  defect  often  seen. 
Amber  eyes  are  not  a  disqualification,  but  count  against 
a  specimen. 

Chest  and  shoulders  should  have  a  profusion  of  long 
hair  forming  a  mane  and  frill,  greatly  adding  to  their 
beauty  and  style. 

I  do  not  remember  seeing  any  Russian  Long-haired 
Cats  of  this  colour,  but  it  is  frequently  met  with  in 
Angoras  and  Persians,  the  character  of  the  coats  of  the 
former  is  more  woolly  than  the  latter,  which  are  softer, 
finer  and  more  silky  to  the  feel,  but  each  of  them  should 


CKEAM— "CH.    RONALDKIRK   MIDSHIPMITE." 
Well-known  Prize  Winner.     Owner,  Miss  Beal. 


To  face  page  133. 


THE  LONG-HAIRED  CAT  133 

have  an  abundant  coat  all  over  the  body,  particularly  at 
the  sides  and  thighs. 

The  feet  and  legs  should  be  well  clothed  with  hair, 
even  to  the  feet  and  between  the  toes,  and  be  fairly 
strong  in  bone. 

The  tail,  which  is  an  important  feature  in  all  long- 
haired cats,  should  not  be  long  in  itself,  but  covered  with 
very  long  hair,  rather  thicker  in  apparent  size  than  in 
Angoras,  carried  gracefully  with  a  curve,  but  never  curled 
over  the  back  at  any  time. 

The  size  of  males  is  almost  always  greater  than 
females,  for  the  former  fourteen  pounds  is  a  large  weight, 
and  may  be  generally  taken  as  a  limit,  and  females  of 
twelve  pounds  are  quite  up  to  the  average  of  the  best 
specimens  usually  seen. 

Condition,  which  includes  general  appearance  and 
shape,  is  very  important,  and  is  a  good  deal  the  result  of 
the  attention  paid  to  an  animal  by  the  amount  of 
grooming,  etc.,  it  has  received.  To  render  it  in  as  perfect 
form  as  possible,  the  whole  of  the  head,  chest,  back,  sides, 
legs,  feet  and  tail  being  gone  over  with  a  brush  with  long 
bristles,  and  all  knots  or  foreign  matter,  such  as  straw, 
hay,  etc.,  removed  from  the  hair  the  last  thing  before 
being  sent  off. 

Colour  should  be  as  pure  white  as  obtainable,  some 
prefer  a  little  squeeze  of  the  blue  bag  in  the  water  before 
washing,  to  give  a  blue  white  tinge  like  we  see  in  milk, 
others  like  a  more  creamy  white,  but,  at  anyrate,  it  should 
have  no  tints  of  any  kind  in  it,  but,  literally,  be  as  pure 
as  newly-fallen  snow. 


134  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
LONG-HAIRED  WHITE  CATS 

Head,  roundness  and  breadth,  with  short  face     10  Points 
Ears,  not  large,  with  tufts  and  tips         .          .        5       „ 
Eyes,  size,  shape  and  colour          .          .         .10      ,, 
Chest  and  shoulders  well  clothed  .          .         .10      ,, 
Legs  and  feet,  not  long,  fair  bone,  and  well 

covered  to  the  toes  .  .  .  .  5  „ 
Coat,  on  body  and  sides,  very  abundant  .  20  ,, 
Hind  quarters  and  brush,  very  full  .  .10  „ 
Condition  and  general  appearance  .  15  ,, 

Colour,  without  tint  or  shading     .          .          .10,, 
Size,  up  to  about  fourteen  pounds  as  a  limit  .        5       ,, 

Total     100  Points 


THE  LONG-HAIRED  BLACK  CAT 

In  the  early  days  of  cat  shows,  which,  as  I  have  said, 
date  back  about  thirty  years,  I  think  it  is  undoubted 
that  cats  of  this  colour  were  much  more  popular  than 
they  have  been  for  some  years  past. 

I  can  call  to  mind  many  splendid  animals  being  shown 
by  Messrs  Warner,  A.  A.  Clarke,  and  others,  which  were 
an  object  lesson  to  any  fanciers,  but  there  has  been,  and 
is,  such  a  decided  run  on  the  lighter  shades  of  colour, 
especially  the  Reds,  Blues,  Silvers,  Creams  and  Chinchillas, 
that  the  Blacks  have  been  somewhat  neglected. 

One  of  the  first  long-haired  cats  I  ever  owned  was  a 


BLACK — "KING  LEAR." 

1st,  Crystal  Palace,  etc.,  etc.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


To  face  page  135. 


THE  LONG-HAIRED  CAT  135 

Black,  and  I  have  always  been  a  great  admirer  of  good 
specimens  of  the  colour,  which  often  attain  large  dimen- 
sions, and  may  be  described  as  handsome,  as  opposed  to 
prettiness  in  some  others. 

The  head  should  be  in  shape  and  character  much  the 
same  as  in  the  White,  with  a  dark  instead  of  flesh-coloured 
nose,  and  the  cheeks  well  clothed  with  longish  hair. 

The  ears  almost  hidden  in  the  hair  round  them,  lined 
and  tipped  with  soft  hair  as  in  last  named. 

The  eyes  very  large,  round  and  full,  and  the  shade 
of  orange  associated  with  the  yolk  of  an  egg  ;  this  I  look 
upon  as  a  very  important  point,  in  which  a  great  many 
otherwise  good  cats  fail. 

The  shoulders  and  chest  should  be  well  covered  with 
long  straight  hair,  forming  mane  and  frill. 

The  legs  and  feet  not  long  enough  to  make  the 
animal  look  leggy,  or  lanky,  and  fairly  strong  in  bone  in 
large  specimens. 

The  coat  should  be  dense  in  character  and  profuse  in 
quantity. 

The  brush  and  hind  quarters  both  with  abundance 
of  long  hair  on  them,  the  former  carried  gracefully  below 
the  line  of  the  back. 

Condition,  should  be  well  rounded  in  shape  of  body, 
without  being  loaded  with  fat,  and  general  appearance  of 
dignity  and  grandeur. 

In  size,  as  far  as  my  experience  goes,  and  1  have  had 
a  good  many  of  this  colour,  of  both  sexes,  the  males  are 
usually  much  larger  than  the  females.  I  think  the  best  of  the 
former  should  be  up  to  thirteen  or  fourteen  pounds,  in  good 


136  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

condition,  and  that  ten  pounds,  or  perhaps  eleven,  would  be 
about  the  average  weight  of  the  best  females  generally  seen. 

As  to  colour,  it  is  most  important  this  should  be 
intense  pure  black,  as  that  of  a  raven,  without  a  speck  of 
white  anywhere,  or  what  is  also  often  seen,  a  rusty  tinge 
on  any  part  of  the  animal. 

Many  people  speak  of  a  black  cat,  disregarding  the 
fact  it  may  have  a  tiny  spot  of  white  somewhere,  most 
frequently  on  the  chest,  under  the  chin,  on  one  of  the  feet, 
or  even  on  the  tip  of  the  tail,  any  or  all  of  these  are,  in 
my  opinion,  serious  defects,  and  should  not  be  passed 
over  without  penalising  the  specimen,  if  it  appears  in  the 
show  pen,  as  a  black  cat  should  be  black  and  nothing  else. 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
LONG-HAIRED  BLACK  CATS 

Head,  large  and  massive  with  short  broad  face     10  Points 

Ears,  well  tipped  and  tufted  with  hair    .          .        5  „ 

Eyes,  very  large,  full,  and  deep  orange  .          .10  ,, 

Shoulders  and  chest  well  maned  and  frilled     .     10  „ 

Legs  and  feet,  strong  and  well  boned     .                 5  „ 

Coat,  long,  straight,  abundant  and  silky          .      20  ,, 

Condition,  larged  bodied,  without  fat     .          .10  „ 

Colour,  intense,  and  pure  blue  black      .               15  ,, 
Size  of  males  to  fourteen  pounds  ;  of  females 

to  ten  pounds       .          .          .          .          .        5  ,, 
Brush  and  hind  quarters  covered  with  long 

hair  10 


Total     100  Points 


ffi     o 

.u   8 


THE  LONG-HAIRED  CAT  137 

THE  LONG-HAIRED  BLUE  CAT 

Until  the  comparatively  recent  advent  of  the  Creams 
and  Chinchillas,  I  think  there  is  no  doubt  cats  of  this 
colour  have  been  the  most  popular  of  any,  and  I  am  not 
sure,  even  now,  if  there  are  not  more  of  them  to  be  found 
than  of  any  other  variety  of  long-haired  cat. 

Many  of  them  are  exceedingly  beautiful,  and  they 
lend  themselves  to  such  a  variety  in  shades,  from  the 
deepest  slate  blue  to  the  palest  lavender,  that  fanciers  can 
usually  find  something  to  suit  their  taste. 

Show  committees,  from  the  Crystal  Palace  down- 
wards, have  done  much  to  foster  the  growth  of  the  favour 
which  has  been  bestowed  on  the  Blues  ;  as  many  attractive 
special  prizes  have  been  offered  for  the  best  male,  best 
female,  best  single  or  pair  of  kittens,  and  probably  more 
valuable  prizes  have  been  won  by  Blues  than  by  all  other 
kinds  of  long-haired  cats  together,  and  for  a  long  time, 
if  not  still,  there  were  many  breeders  and  fanciers  who 
kept  no  other  variety. 

Where  the  cats  are  not  divided  by  sex,  I  think  a  large 
class  of  Blues  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  to  judge,  as  you 
will  often  find  four  or  five  quite  distinct  shades  of  the 
colour,  and,  if  they  are  fairly  in  coat,  the  running  is 
sometimes  very  even. 

In  this  variety,  I  think,  more  than  in  most,  the  females 
are  sometimes  better  than  the  males,  and  I  have  often  seen 
one  of  the  latter  gain  the  coveted  prize,  as  "  Best  in  the 
Show,"  but  in  these  days  it  requires  a  good  and  almost 
perfect  specimen  to  do  that  at  one  of  the  larger  shows. 


138  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

The  head  should  be  large  and  massive,  face  short, 
nose  dark,  sides  of  face  and  neck  well  covered  with  hair . 

Ears  well  carried,  small,  covered  with  soft  hair  on  out- 
sides,  with  tufts  of  hair  inside  and  at  tips. 

Eye  nearly  round  in  shape,  large  in  size  and  ex- 
pressive, a  sort  of  yellowy  orange  in  colour. 

Chest  and  shoulders,  broad  and  well  covered  with 
long  straight  hair  in  abundance. 

Coat,  dense  and  long  all  over  the  body,  nearly  reach- 
ing the  ground  at  the  sides,  quite  straight  and  soft  in 
texture. 

Legs  and  feet  of  sufficient  strength  without  any 
coarseness,  and  free  from  any  bars,  spots,  or  markings. 

The  tail  and  hind  quarters  with  plenty  of  long 
straight  hair  on  them,  the  former  very  full  and  profuse. 

The  size  of  males  may  average  to  twelve  pounds, 
and  of  females,  nearly  approaching  that  weight,  perhaps 
eleven  pounds. 

Colour  should  be  some  shade  of  blue,  which,  as  I 
said  before,  gives  a  wide  range  for  taste,  but  whatever 
it  is,  should  be  pure,  without  tint  or  any  mark  or  bar, 
some  failing  here  and  showing  a  Tabby  cross  at  some  time 
or  other. 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
LONG-HAIRED  BLUE  CATS 

Head,  size,  shape,  and  type  .       3r$        .         .     10  Points 
Ears,  small  and  well  carried  .         *         *  .     y.:  i    5       „ 
Eyes,  expressive,  large  and  full      .        v     ,  ,v    10      „ 


BLUE  — UCH.    HOLMWOOD   SKITTLES." 
Noted  Prize  Winner.     Owner,  Miss  Jay. 


BLUE — "CH.    MABEL  OF   LOZELLS." 
Owner,  C.  W.  Witt. 


To  face  page  138. 


THE  LONG-HAIRED  CAT  139 

Feet  and  legs,  short  rather  than  leggy    .          .        5  Points 
Coat,  long  and  deep  on  body  and  sides  .          .20      „ 
Shoulders  and  chest,  well  frilled  and  maned    .      10      „ 
Thighs  and  tail,  heavily  coated      .          .          .10,, 
Condition  and  general  appearance  .  1 5       „ 

Colour,  pure  self  blue  as  free  from  shade  or 

markings  as  possible      .          .          .          .10,, 
Size,    males   about    twelve    pounds,    females 

eleven  pounds       .         .         .         .  5      „ 


Total     100  Points 

THE  LONG-HAIRED  CREAM  CAT 

There  may  be,  in  fact  I  have  no  doubt  there  are, 
many  who  will  say  this  is  not  long  enough  established 
to  be  constituted  a  distinct  variety,  but,  as  there  are 
many  devoting  themselves  to  producing  specimens,  and 
these  have  appeared  again  and  again  at  various  ages, 
showing  that  they  are  being  bred  true  to  type,  and 
possess  much  delicacy  and  beauty  of  colouring,  I  think 
the  Creams  are  entitled  to  consider  they  have  proved 
their  right  to  be  as  much  a  distinct  variety  as  several 
other  members  of  the  long-haired  cat  family. 

The  head  should  be  of  moderate  size,  broad  across 
the  forehead,  short  in  face,  and  nicely  feathered  on  the 
sides  of  neck  and  face. 

The  ears  small  and  unobtrusive,  but,  of  course,  with 
the  typical  tufts  inside,  and  points  to  tips,  as  desired  in 
the  other  colours. 


1 40  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

The  eyes  round,  but  not  too  prominent,  soft  and 
liquid  in  expression  and  match  ing  in  colour,harmonising 
with  the  coat  and  a  golden  yellow  in  colour. 

The  shoulders  and  chest,  with  mane  and  frill,  well, 
but  not  excessively  developed,  as  I  fancy  animals  of 
their  colour  do  not  usually  carry  so  much  coat  as  others 
or  may  appear  not  to  do  so  from  their  neutral  tint. 

Legs  and  feet,  fine  in  bone,  and  rather  short  than 
long.  Hind  quarters  and  brush  covered  with  long 
straight  hair,  which  has  the  appearance  of  being  more 
woolly  in  texture  and  less  silky  than  in  most  of  the 
other  colours,  and  the  brush  not  so  voluminous  in 
size. 

The  coat  should  be  long  and  straight,  with  dense 
undercoat  of  soft,  close  hair,  more  profuse  on  the 
back  and  sides. 

Condition  should  be  fairly  plump,  without  being 
big,  or  any  tendency  to  coarseness,  rather  inclining  to 
length  of  body  and  flatness  at  sides. 

Colour,  a  sort  of  pale  drab  or  cream  all  over,  with 
perhaps,  a  little  warmer  tint  on  the  ears,  shoulders,  upper 
part  of  back  and  brush,  but  not  so  as  to  break  the 
harmony  of  the  whole. 

Size,  about  ten  pounds  for  males,  and  a  little  less  for 
females,  this,  in  my  view,  being  a  variety  which  is  not 
improved  by  attaining  great  weight. 

I  am  not  aware  that  any  scale  has  been  published  of 
the  points  to  be  desired  for  show  specimens,  so  that 
I  give  my  ideas  upon  it,  with  some  diffidence,  for 
the  guidance  of  the  novices  amongst  my  readers. 


WHITE  NEUTER — "LAUREL  SHAH." 
1st,  Crystal  Palace,  etc.,  etc.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


To  face  page  140. 


THE  LONG-HAIRED  CAT 


141 


STANDARD   OF  EXCELLENCE   FOR   JUDGING 
LONG-HAIRED  CREAM   CATS 


Head,  rather  small  than  large 
Ears,  decidedly  small  and  unobtrusive    . 
Eyes,  expressive,  rather  than  bold  or  prominent 
Legs  and  feet,  not  long,  and  fine  in  bone 
Shoulders  and  chest,  with  only  fair  mane  and 
frill     ....'..'. 

Brush,  and  hind  quarters,  neither  very  full     . 
Coat,  and  undercoat,  of  moderate  length 
Condition,  plump,  but  with  no  fat  or  coarse- 
ness   ....... 

Colour,  pale  drab  to  be  the  prominent  shade    . 

Size  for  males,  about  ten  pounds ;  females,  eight 

to  nine  pounds      ..... 


10  Points 


5 
5 
5 

10 
10 

20 


Total       100  Points 


CHAPTER    XX 

THE    LONG-HAIRED    CHINCHILLA    CAT 

No  doubt,  the  ideal  for  cats  of  this  colour  is  the 
beautiful  little  animal  known  as  the  Chinchilla,  a 
rodent  closely  allied  to  the  Rabbit  tribe,  and  a  native 
of  South  America,  whose  fur  has  been  for  many  years 
an  article  of  commerce  ;  I  think  almost  entirely  used 
for  trimmings  to  female  attire,  in  these  and  other 
countries,  and  probably  many  of  my  readers  have 
often  seen  the  graceful  little  animals  in  zoological 
collections,  or  museums,  and  so  will  not  require  to  be 
told  that  its  fur  may  be  said  to  be  composed  of  very 
soft  hair,  of  shades  of  a  delicate  grey,  interspersed  with 
some  black  hairs,  which  give  it  the  effect  of  a  slight 
ticking  on  the  surface,  with  lighter  shades  under- 
neath. 

I  need  not  say  that  cats  of  this  colour,  correctly 
coloured,  are  very  beautiful  creatures,  perhaps  equal  to, 
if  not  superior  than,  any  others,  and  they  have  of  late 
years  been  much  in  vogue  with  exhibitors. 

The  head  is  not  large,  though  typical  in  shape. 

The  ears  also  are  small,  and  almost  merged  in  hair 
of  neck  and  head. 

142 


CHINCHILLA — "CH.    AMEER." 
Great  Prize  Winner.     Owner,  Hon.  Mrs  McLaren  Morrison. 


To  face  page  142. 


THE  LONG-HAIRED  CAT  143 

The  eyes  are  large  for  the  size  of  head,  and  emerald 
green  in  colour,  round,  but  not  protruding. 

The  feet  and  legs  are  fairly  long,  but  not  strong  in 
bone. 

The  frill  is  more  developed  than  the  mane  on  chest 
and  shoulders. 

The  hind  quarters  and  brush  are  well  covered  with 
soft  long  hair,  but  not  usually  of  great  dimensions. 

The  coat  is  uniformly  thick  and  abundant  all  over  the 
back  and  sides. 

Condition  is  important,  but  quality  is  the  main 
feature. 

The  colour  is  made  of  greys,  light  and  dark,  with 
delicate  black  tints  on  surface. 

The  size  is  about  an  average  of  nine  pounds  ;  it  is  not 
desirable  for  specimens  to  be  too  large,  as  this  variety,  as 
before  remarked,  is  one  that  pre-eminently  lends  itself  to 
the  display  of  quality  rather  than  quantity,  and  every 
effort  should  be  made  by  breeders — and  I  have  every 
reason  to  believe  this  is  being  done — to  guard  against 
any  approach  to  coarseness  and  mere  size,  at  the  sacrifice 
of  the  high  position  and  estimation  to  which  the 
Chinchilla-coloured  long-haired  cats  have  attained  in 
comparatively  a  short  time,  and  for  which  exhibitors 
are  mainly  indebted  to  the  efforts  of  a  few  enthusiastic 
breeders. 

As  I  said  of  the  Creams,  so  I  may  say  of  these, 
I  am  not  aware  of  any  scale  for  judging  them  having 
been  hitherto  published,  and,  owing  to  the  fierce 
discussion  which  has  long  been  raging  as  to  the 


I44 


RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 


merits  and  demerits  of  the  various  types  and  shades, 
favoured  by  one  and  the  other,  I  am  even  more  diffident 
in  this  case  about  giving  my  views  as  to  the 

STANDARD    OF    EXCELLENCE    FOR    JUDGING 
LONG-HAIRED  CHINCHILLA  CATS 


Head,  fairly  broad  but  not  large   . 
Ears,  small  and  well  placed    .... 
Eyes,  round,  full  and  expressive    . 
Legs  and  feet,  light  and  elegant  in  shape 
Chest  and  shoulders,  broad  and  well  clothed  . 
Brush  and  thighs,  covered  with  long  fine  hair 
Coat,  soft,  delicate  in  texture,  and  voluminous 
Condition,  firm,  not  fat  or  heavy 
Colour,  pale  French  grey  with  dark  shadings 
Size  of  males  to  nine  pounds  ;  females  to  about 
eight  pounds         ..... 


10  Points 


5 
10 

5 
10 

IO 

15 

IO 

20 


Total     100  Points 

THE  LONG-HAIRED  BROWN  TABBY 

This  variety,  a  prime  favourite  of  mine,  and  of  which 
I  have  had  several  very  good  specimens  at  different  times, 
attains,  I  think,  the  greatest  size  of  any  of  the  Long  Hairs 
and  when  in  full  coat,  and  correct  in  its  markings,  is  a  very 
handsome  animal. 

The  head  should  be  round  shaped,  broad  and 
massive,  well  covered  with  hair  at  the  sides  and  neck. 

I   should   have  said,  by-t he-bye,  that  nearly,  if  not 


CHINCHILLA— "CH.    FULMER  ZAIDA." 
One  of  the  best  ever  exhibited.     Owner,  Lady  Decies. 


To  face  page  144. 


CHINCHILLA — "  CH.    FULMER   LORD   SOUTHAMPTON.'' 
Owner,  Lady  Decies. 


To  face  page  145. 


THE  LONG-HAIRED  CAT  145 

quite,  all  the  Russian  Long-haired  Cats  I  have  seen  have 
been  of  this  colour,  but  they  have  been  less  distinctly 
marked,  their  coats  more  woolly  in  texture,  and  their  tails 
shorter  and  thicker  than  the  best  Persian  specimens,  and 
have  not  pleased  me  so  much,  and  I  should  not  advise 
any  of  my  readers  to  cross  Persians  with  one  of  the 
Russians,  for  even  if  they  attained  increased  size,  I  think 
it  would  be  more  than  counterbalanced  by  coarseness  and 
want  of  clearness  in  markings. 

The  ears  should  be  small  for  the  size  of  the  head, 
and  quite  surrounded  with  abundance  of  hair  on  the 
upper  parts  of  the  head,  and  furnished  with  fine  hair 
inside,  and  at  the  points. 

The  eyes  large,  round,  prominent  and  orange  yellow 
in  colour,  with  very  dignified  expression,  conveying  a 
deep  sense  of  self-importance. 

The  legs  and  feet  large  and  powerful,  but  not  long 
enough  to  give  idea  of  legginess. 

The  chest  and  shoulders  should  be  wide  and  deep, 
mane  and  frill  well  developed  on  each. 

The  brush  should  be  very  profuse  and  full,  and  the 
hind  quarters  well  covered  with  long  hair. 

The  coat  should  be  dense  and  very  abundant  all 
over  the  body,  which  should  be  very  large  and  massive, 
without  being  loaded  with  fat. 

Condition  is  always  important,  and  should  comprise 
hard  muscular  firmness  of  flesh  with  well-groomed  coat 
and  graceful  outlines  of  form. 

Colour.  The  ground  should  be  deep  rich  brown  striped 
with  black.  These  markings  start  from  a  broadish  stripe 

K 


146  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

of  black,  more  or  less  defined,  along  the  line  of  the  back 
bone,  which  is  present  to  some  extent  in  all  the  cats 
with  Tabby  markings  ;  the  tail  is  covered  with  bars,  or 
rings  of  black,  and  a  line  of  finer  stripes  of  same  colour 
runs  from  the  forehead,  through  the  ears,  and  down  the 
neck,  where  it  merges  in  the  bodycoat.  One  or  even 
two  bands  of  black  across  the  chest  are  a  great  ornament 
and  finish.  The  face  is  ornamented  with  flourishes  and 
stripes  of  black  going  swirling  round  the  cheeks,  which 
are  very  effective  and  peculiar  to  the  Cat  tribe,  from  the 
tiger  downwards  ;  indeed,  a  well-marked  Tabby  has  much 
in  common  in  this  respect  with  his  big  relation.  Size  is 
difficult  to  define,  as  I  think  a  Brown  Tabby  may  be  as 
large  as  you  can  get  him  without  actual  fat  or  coarseness.  I 
have  had  them  of  fourteen  and  fifteen  pounds,  and  have  often 
seen  them  much  heavier,  even  approaching  twenty  pounds, 
and  yet  preserving  the  grace  and  activity  which  is  part 
and  parcel  of  the  feline  race,  as  we  know  what  wonderful 
accounts  are  often  given  by  travellers  of  the  achievements 
of  many  of  their  much  larger  cousins  in  foreign  climes. 

Therefore  I  will  leave  the  limit  of  size  open,  merely 
saying  I  think  specimens  intended  for  show  purposes 
should  be  at  least  ten  pounds  if  females,  or  twelve 
pounds  if  males.  I  might  add  that,  for  those  who  desire 
a  cat  for  the  house,  as  a  companion  and  ornament  to  the 
domestic  hearth,  I  do  not  think  they  can  improve  upon  a 
Brown  Tabby,  which  is  one  of  the  most  homely  and  com- 
fortable looking  of  the  feline  race,  usually  of  a  happy, 
contented  disposition,  and  very  intelligent  and  sociable. 

This  colour,  in  long  and  short  hairs,  has  always  been 


THE  LONG-HAIRED  CAT  147 

a  great  favourite  with  artists,  and  though  it  is  by  no 
means  invariable  to  find  painters  of  animals  so  successful 
with  cats  as  with  other  subjects,  in  the  majority  of  cases 
I  have  seen,  when  a  cat  forms  part  of  a  picture,  a  Brown 
Tabby  has  been  the  sort  chosen. 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
LONG-HAIRED  BROWN  TABBY  CATS 

Head,  roundness,  breadth,  with  short  face     .     10  Points 
Ears,  small  for  size  of  head,  tufted  and  tipped        5       „ 
Eyes,    large,    round,    prominent  and  orange 

yellow          .          .          .          .          .          .10,, 

Shoulders   and  chest,   wide   and  deep,    well 

marked        .          .          .          .          .          .10,, 

Legs  and  feet,  well  boned  and  powerful          .        5       ,, 
Brush,    very    bushy ;     hind    quarters     well 

covered        .          .         .          .         .         .10,, 

Coat  very  profuse  all  over  body,  with  under- 
coat   .          .         .          .          .          .          .     20       „ 

Condition,  hard,  muscular  and  well  groomed       10       „ 
Colour,  rich  brown  ground,  with  deep  black 

markings     .          .          .          .          .          .      15       „ 

Size,  as  large  as  possible,  not  less  than  twelve 

pounds  for  males,  or  ten  pounds  for  females       5       „ 


Total     100  Points 

THE  LONG-HAIRED  SILVER  TABBY  CAT 
This,  to  my  mind,  is  a  very  beautiful  variety,  but 


148  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

another  which  has  suffered  from  the  "  booming v  of  the 
Blues,  Creams  and  Chinchillas,  although  there  is  little 
doubt  it  has  had  a  good  deal  to  do  with  the  creation  of 
the  last-named  colour,  and  many  of  the  Blues  and  Creams 
show  traces  of  a  Tabby  having  been  in  the  family 
genealogical  tree  at  some  time  or  other. 

As  a  rule  Silver  Tabbies  are  not  very  large,  the  heads, 
particularly  of  the  females,  being  small,  but  they  are 
usually  what  are  called  "  pretty  cats,"  and  have  a  youthful, 
juvenile  appearance  long  after  they  have  passed  out  of 
kittenhood. 

Their  ears  are  small,  and  well  hidden  in  soft  silky 
hair  round  the  upper  part  of  the  head  and  neck. 

The  eyes,  which  should  be  soft  and  expressive  and 
bright  yellow  in  colour,  are  moderately  large,  and  round 
shaped. 

The  chest  deep  and  shoulders  fairly  wide.  As  in 
others  of  this  family,  it  is  a  great  point  to  have  at  least 
one,  I  prefer  two,  stripes  or  bars  of  black  across  the  chest 
from  side  to  side,  which  gives  much  character  to  its  appear- 
ance, and  more  frill  than  mane. 

The  hind  quarters  should  have  plenty  of  long  soft 
hair  upon  them,  and  the  brush  should  be  well  covered 
in  the  same  way,  but  usually  not  so  full  as  in  the  other 
Tabbies. 

The  legs  and  feet  are  fairly  long,  but  fine  in  bone, 
as  there  should  be  nothing  coarse  about  a  Silver  Tabby. 

The  coat  should  be  abundant  and  straight  all  over 
the  body,  which  is  longer  and  more  lithe  in  appearance 
than  some  of  the  others. 


TORTOISESHELL— "  LAUREL  LULU." 
Winner  many  Prizes.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


To  face  page  149. 


THE  LONG-HAIRED  CAT  149 

Condition  should  be  considered  so  as  to  have  muscle 
and  activity  without  too  much  flesh  or  approach  to 
coarseness,  which  would  be  quite  out  of  place. 

Colour,  except  that  the  ground  should  be  a  delicate 
tint  of  pale  grey,  is  the  same  in  its  markings  as  given  for 
the  Brown  Tabby.  The  more  pure  and  clear  the  grey, 
and  the  more  intense  the  black  markings,  the  better  the 
specimen  will  be  if  good  in  other  particulars. 

In  size  I  think  ten  pounds  is  a  fair  average  weight  for 
males,  and  eight  or  nine  pounds  for  females,  but  I  should 
not  object  to  a  little  more  in  either  sex  if  the  specimen 
did  not  lose  in  quality ;  but  what  I  said  of  the  Creams  I  may 
repeat  of  the  Silver  Tabbies,  that  the  best  I  have  seen  have 
not  been  very  large  cats. 

I  have  the  impression  that  of  late  years  a  club  has  been 
formed  for  this  variety  alone,  and  if  this  be  so  there  will 
be  more  encouragement  for  breeders  to  bring  out  high- 
class  specimens,  and  prevent  their  being  neglected  in  the 
rush  of  other  varieties  for  popular  favour. 


STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
LONG-HAIRED  SILVER  TABBIES 

Head,  small,  round  and  well  shaped      .         .-.  10  Points 
Ears,  small,  unobtrusive,  tufted  and  tipped    .        5       ,, 

Eyes,  round,  fairly  large  and  expressive          .  10       „ 
Chest  and  shoulders,  moderately  maned  and 

frilled 10       ,, 

Legs  and  feet,  fairly  long,  but  fine  in  bone    .        5       >% 


150  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

Brush  and   hind  quarters  clothed  with  long 

soft  hair      .  "'    -It.   i    -;f,t      -v         *  '       .      10  Points 
Coat  and  undercoat,  deep  and  fairly  abundant    20       „ 
Condition,  muscular,  without  fat  or  coarseness    10       ,, 
Colour,  markings  same  as  for  Brown  Tabbies 

on  a  ground  of  pure  light  grey      .        V     15       ,, 
Size,  males,  ten  pounds  ;    females,  eight  or 

nine  pounds         *         *       '  .';••,.      .       life    5       „ 


Total     100  Points 


THE  LONG-HAIRED  RED  OR  ORANGE  TABBY  CAT 

I  think  this  variety  from  its  colour  and  appearance  is 
the  most  like  a  miniature  lion  of  all  the  family  of  domestic 
cats,  and  is  often  a  very  handsome  animal. 

The  males  especially  attain  considerable  size,  and  have 
much  style  about  them.  I  do  not  think  they  are  as  a  rule 
so  friendly  with  strangers  at  anyrate  as  the  other  Tabbies, 
and  are  rather  disposed  to  be  masterful  in  their  disposition 
towards  their  comrades. 

Sometimes  they  are  seen  almost  entirely  without  any 
Tabby  markings,  and  I  think  some  breeders  are  trying  to 
produce  a  strain  of  this  kind,  which  they  term  "orange," 
but  I  am  not  sure  this  has  yet  been  quite  accomplished 
so  that  they  could  be  relied  on  to  breed  true  to  type, 
though  I  think  they  would  be  very  attractive. 

The  head  should  be  very  large,  round,  and  furnished 
with  much  soft  hair  at  the  sides  and  neck. 

The  ears  fairly  large,  often  a  deeper  tint  of  red  than 


BeU 


RED   TABBY — "  CH.    PUCK.;1 
Winner  numerous  Prizes.     Owner,  Hon.  Mrs  McLaren  Morrison. 


ORANGE  TABBY— "CH.    GOLDEN    BUTTERFLY." 
Owner,  Mrs  Dean. 


To  face  page  150. 


THE  LONG-HAIRED  CAT  151 

the  surroundings,  with  large  tufts  inside,  and  well  tipped 
with  soft  feathery  hair. 

The  eyes  should  be  very  large,  round,  gold  colour 
tinted  with  green,  and  very  leonine  in  expression. 

The  chest  and  shoulders  broad  and  deep,  well  covered 
with  long,  straight,  soft  hair,  forming  abundant  mane  and 
frill. 

The  legs  and  feet  fairly  long,  strong  in  bone,  and 
covered  to  the  toes  with  soft  fine  hair. 

The  brush  should  be  very  full  and  bushy,  and  the 
hind  quarters  clothed  with  long  straight  hair,  nearly 
reaching  to  the  knees. 

The  coat  should  be  deep  and  profuse  all  over  the 
body,  which  should  be  large  and  muscular  in  its  pro- 
portions. 

The  condition  should  be  hard  and  firm,  without  mere 
fat,  and  the  appearance  graceful  and  stately,  with  a  good 
deal  of  grandeur  about  it. 

The  colour  may  be  defined  to  be  a  pale  yellow,  with 
stripes  and  markings  disposed  as  that  described  for  the 
Brown  Tabby,  but  of  a  rich  red  orange  hue.  Of  course, 
in  those  mentioned  as  "  orange  cats,"  the  markings  are 
absent,  and  the  prevailing  tint  is  the  red  orange  only, 
but  these  are  certainly  not  so  often  seen  as  the  Red 
Tabbies,  from  which  they  no  doubt  originate. 

In  size  the  Red  or  Orange  Tabbies  frequently  are 
seen  as  large  as  any  of  the  long-haired  varieties,  and 
specimens  scaling  fourteen  and  fifteen  pounds  are  by  no 
means  uncommon — I  mean  the  males,  as  the  females  are 
not  usually  so  large. 


152  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  LONG- 
HAIRED RED  OR  ORANGE  TABBY  CATS 

Head,  large,  round,  massive          .         .          .10  Points 
Ears,  fairly  large,  well  tufted  and  tipped  with 

hair    ....  5 

Eyes,  very  large,  round,  gold  with  green  tint     10       „ 
Chest  and  shoulders,  wide  and  deep,  well  frilled 

and  maned .         .         .         .         .         .10,, 

Legs  and  feet,  strong  in  bone  and  muscular   .       5       „ 
Hind  quarters  well  clothed,  brush  large  and 

full 10       „ 

Coat,  long  and  deep  all  over,  with  thick  under 

coat    .......     20       „ 

Condition,  not  fat,  but  hard  and  muscular      .10       „ 
Colour,  clear  and  distinct  Tabby  markings  of 

rich  red  on  a  pale  yellowish  ground        .      15       ,, 
Size  of  males  to  fifteen  pounds  ;  of  females  to 

eleven  or  twelve  pounds        .         .  5       ,, 


Total     100  Points 


DARK   SMOKE — "  CH.    BACKWELL  JOGRAM." 
Winner  numerous  Pmes.     Owner,  Mrs  H.  V,  James. 


To  face  page  153. 


CHAPTER    XXI 

THE    LONG-HAIRED    SMOKE    CAT 

THIS  variety,  which  personally  I  admire  very  much  and 
have  had  many  of  them  at  one  time  or  the  other,  may  be 
subdivided  again  into  Dark  and  Light,  as  there  are  some 
which  almost  look  black  until  their  coats  are  examined, 
and  others  that  look  a  greyish  blue,  but  belong  to 
neither  of  those  shades. 

I  suppose  it  is  admitted  all  round  that  although  they 
now  breed  pretty  true  to  type,  even  if  Dark  and  Light  be 
found  in  one  litter,  it  is  one  of  the  manufactured 
varieties,  and  that  this  is  probably  the  reason  I  have  never 
yet  seen  in  any  book  about  cats  a  definition  of  what 
constitutes  a  "  Smoke,"  either  Short  or  Long-haired  Cat,  or 
any  standard  for  their  judging. 

But,  as  some  of  my  fellow  rabbit  fanciers  may  say  I 
have  not  hesitated  to  give  my  ideas  of  some  varieties  of 
their  pets  which  have  not  appeared  before  in  any  book  on 
rabbits,  so  I  will  endeavour  to  convey  to  my  readers 
amongst  cat  fanciers  my  ideas  as  to  what  Smokes  should 
be. 

Head,   large,    round   with    plenty   of    hair    on    the 

'53 


154  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

cheeks,  face  short  and  moderately  broad,  neck  well 
covered. 

Ears,  rather  large,  tufted  inside  but  with  nothing  pro- 
minent in  the  way  of  tipping,  and  the  colour  of  the  dark 
parts  of  the  body. 

Eyes  should  be  very  large  and  prominent ;  orange  in 
colour  for  the  Dark,  and  orange  yellow  for  the  Light 
shades  of  Smoke,  lustrous  and  expressive. 

Shoulders  and  chest  covered  with  abundance  of  long 
straight  hair,  forming  profuse  mane  and  frill. 

Legs  and  feet  moderate  in  length,  but  muscular  and 
strong  in  bone. 

Brush  very  full  and  bushy  ;  hind  quarters  muscular, 
large,  and  clothed  with  plenty  of  long  straight  hair. 

Coat  voluminous  all  over,  reaching  nearly  to  the 
ground  at  sides  when  in  full  feather,  with  dense  under- 
coat. 

Condition,  hard,  firm  and  muscular  without  superflu- 
ous flesh  ;  body  not  so  long  or  flat  in  appearance  as  in 
some  varieties — perhaps  cobbiness  would  express  my 
meaning. 

In  size  there  is  usually  much  difference  in  the  sexes, 
for  while  the  males  often  approach  twelve  to  fourteen 
pounds,  the  females  may  average  from  eight  to  ten 
pounds,  but  I  think  rarely  exceed  the  latter  weight. 

Colour  is  of  much  importance  in  this  variety,  for 
though  some  may  fancy  a  bad  black  is  a  Dark  Smoke, 
and  a  bad  blue  a  Light  Smoke,  this  is  not  my 
view. 

I  think  each  is  made  up  of  two  distinct  shades,  the 


K  2 


u 


a 


I!    cj 
O    « 


THE  LONG-HAIRED  CAT  155 

Dark  being  almost  black  on  the  surface  with  a  shade 
underneath,  easily  seen  by  blowing  or  parting  the  hair, 
of  real  smoke  colour  ;  and  the  Light  is  almost  blue  on 
the  surface,  and  a  delicate  light  grey  of  the  shade  known 
as  French  grey  underneath.  All  the  points  or  ex- 
tremities, such  as  face,  ears,  legs,  feet  and  brush,  should 
mainly  appear  of  the  darkest  shade  of  the  coat. 

The  general  effect  of  these  cats  is  very  pleasing — at 
least  that  is  my  view  of  them — and  they,  particularly  those 
entitled  to  be  classed  as  Dark  Smokes,  always  give  me  the 
impression  of  bearing  a  strong  resemblance  to  a  sheikh, 
in  the  picturesque  contrast  those  Eastern  folk  offer  in 
their  peculiar  garb ;  and  I  remember  how  much  I  was 
fascinated  with  the  first  specimen  of  the  variety  which 
came  under  my  notice  at  a  show  many  years  since,  where 
I  was  an  exhibitor  and  I  was  pleased  to  see  the  judge, 
whose  name  I  do  not  remember,  give  him  first  prize  in  a 
large  mixed  class  of  all  kinds  of  long-haired  cats. 

One  of  my  Crystal  Palace  winners  is  given  as  an 
illustration  of  this  variety  ;  also,  a  well-known  Champion. 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
LONG-HAIRED  SMOKE  CATS 

Head,  large,  round,  with  short,  broad  face  .10  Points 
Ears,  rather  full  and  open,  tufted,  but  not 

much  tipping  to  the  points    .          .         .       5       „ 
Eyes,  prominent,  large,  round  and  intelligent ; 
orange    for    Dark,    yellow   orange    for 
Light         *.         .         .         ;.'        .         v     10      „ 


156  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

Chest  and  shoulders,  broad,  deep,  and  the 

former  of  the  lighter  shades  of  coat  . ,  5  Points 

Legs  and  feet,  not  long,  but  powerful  and 

well  boned  .  *.  .  .  >.;  .  5  „ 

Hind  quarters,  muscular  and  long-haired; 
brush,  very  large  and  profuse,  partaking 
of  both  shades  .  ..  .  .  .  10  ,, 

Coat,  profuse  all  over  body,  coming  well  down 
over  sides  with  long  soft  hair  in  abun- 
dance .  .  .  v-i  ,  »  .  20  ,, 

Condition,  hard  and  muscular,  not  flat-sided  .     10      „ 

Colour,  nearly  black  outside,  light  smoke 
under  in  the  Dark,  and  pure  blue  out- 
side and  pale  grey  under  in  the  Light  .  20  ,, 

Size,  males,  twelve  to  fourteen  pounds  ; 
females,  eight  to  ten  pounds,  in  both 
shades  c 


Total     IOQ  Points 

THE  TORTOISESHELL  LONG-HAIRED  CAT 

Many  contend  that  this  is  not  a  proper  colour  for  a 
long-haired  cat  of  any  kind,  and  that  it  is  never  seen  in 
the  countries  from  whence  they  originally  came. 

I  am  very  much  inclined  to  believe  in  the  truth  of 
this   contention,  but  the  fact  remains  that  we  have  the 
cats,  and  I  must  plead  guilty  to  having  owned  and  taken 
many  prizes  with  cats  of  this  colour,  but  I  am  not  much 
enamoured  of  them  all  the  same,  and  I  think  every  one 


SILVER   TABBY— "CH.    ABDUL    HAMET   OF   DINGLEY." 
Owner,  Miss  Leake. 


face  page  156. 


SILVER   TABBY—"  CH.    THAMES  VALLEY  SILVER   KING." 
Noted  Winner  everywhere.     Owner,  Miss  Derby-Hyde. 


THE  LONG-HAIRED  CAT  157 

that  I  had  were  presents  from  friends  who  wanted  to  find 
homes  for  favourites  they  were  unable  to  keep. 

Although  I  have  not  tried  the  experiment,  I  have 
been  told  by  breeders  that  they  have  bred  excellent  Blues 
from  a  Tortoiseshell  dam  with  a  Blue  sire  ;  but  though  I 
have  bred  good  Whites  from  a  Black  dam,  and  many 
Blacks  of  pure  colour  from  a  Tortoiseshell  dam  with  a 
Red  Tabby  sire,  I  should  have  thought  to  attempt  Blues 
in  same  way  with  a  Blue  sire  would  be  rather  speculative. 

Be  this  as  it  may,  I  am  assured  it  is  a  fact  that  some 
breeders  keep  Tortoiseshell  females  entirely  for  their  use 
in  breeding  operations. 

As  such  a  thing  as  even  a  long-haired  Tortoiseshell 
male  is  rarely  seen,  my  remarks  on  what  I  think  they 
should  be  must  be  taken  to  apply  to  the  females  only. 

The  head  should  be  only  of  moderate  size,  fairly 
broad  across  the  forehead,  and  fringed  with  soft  hair. 

The  ears  rather  full  and  large,  with  tufts  inside,  but 
not  much  feathering  at  tips. 

The  eyes  large,  full,  lustrous  in  expression  and  orange 
in  colour. 

The  shoulders  and  chest  well  provided  with  long 
mane  and  frill  of  soft  straight  hair,  and  wide  and  deep 
in  themselves. 

The  legs  and  feet  rather  long  but  fine  in  bone  and 
elegant  in  shape. 

The  brush  fairly  full  and  bushy,  but  not  very  large, 
and  hind  quarters  covered  with  long  hair. 

The  coat  plentiful  all  over,  but  not  of  great  length  ; 
more  so  at  the  sides  than  on  the  upper  part. 


158  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

The  condition  firm,  but  lithe  and  active  in  general 
appearance,  without  great  muscular  power. 

The  colour  should  be  as  like  a  tortoiseshell  comb  as 
possible,  made  up  of  yellows,  blacks  and  reds  in  due  pro- 
portions, neither  predominating  too  much,  but  the  whole 
giving  a  pleasing  effect. 

The  size  should  be  from  eight  to  ten  pounds.  I 
think  the  latter  will  be  found  the  limit  weight. 


STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
LONG-HAIRED  TORTOISESHELL  CATS 

Head,  round,  not  too  large,  and  fairly  broad  10  Points 

Ears,  rather  large,  and  with  open  carriage      . ...  5  „ 

Eyes,  full  and  large,  round  and  orange  yellow  10  ,, 
Chest   and   shoulders,  wide   and   deep,   well 

covered        .         .         ^  r     ,  .•  .     ...  :      .  5  „ 

Legs  and  feet,  fine  in  bone,  and  rather  long    ,  5  „ 
Brush,  not  very  large  ;   hind  quarters,  fully 

clothed        ....'.  ;      .  10  ,, 

Coat,  profuse  over  body,  more  so  at  sides    ^,._-  15  „ 
Condition,    plump,    without    being   fat,    and 

lightness  and  elegance  a  prevailing  feature  10  ,, 
Colour,    mingling   of    the    three    prescribed 

shades,  without  any  white  at  all     .       .  ...  •  25  „ 
Size,  from  eight  to  ten  pounds,  latter  rarely 

exceeded                       W.        .          .         ..  C  ., 


Total     100  Points 


f? 


GREY  TABBY — "CH.    LAUREL  LEOPOLD." 
1st,  Crystal  Palace,  etc.,  etc.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


To  face  page  158. 


THE  LONG-HAIRED  CAT  159 

ANY  OTHER  VARIETY  OF  LONG-HAIRED  CATS 

As  I  have  dealt  in  the  foregoing  sketches  with  all  the 
colours  for  which  classes  are  provided  at  even  the 
largest  shows,  those  remaining  to  be  noticed  will  be  some 
of  the  same,  varied  with  white  markings. 

These  will  be  Black  and  White,  Blue  and  White, 
Tabby  and  White,  and  Tortoiseshell  and  White,  of  which 
the  Tabby  and  White  are  by  far  the  most  numerous,  as  they 
include  Brown,  Silver,  Red  and  Grey,  Tabby  and  White. 

It  will  not  be  necessary  to  say  anything  about  the 
formation  of  the  animals,  as  in  each  case  that  will  be  the 
same  as  for  the  main  colour  in  the  coat. 

Uniformity  of  markings  is  very  important,  and  the 
general  rule  as  to  this  may  be  described  as  follows  : — 

The  upper  part  of  the  head  should  be  of  the  main  colour, 
while  a  white  blaze  should  run  up  the  face  between  the 
eyes  and  comprising  the  mouth  and  chin,  with  white  chest, 
fore  feet,  and  the  lower  parts  of  the  hind  feet.  No  spots 
or  splashes  of  white  should  be  in  the  main  colour  anywhere. 

Attention  should  be  paid  to  the  character  of  the  main 
colour  of  each  specimen ;  that  is,  the  Black,  White, 
Blue,  or  Smoke  should  be  pure,  and  whole  coloured,  not 
patchy  or  smudged,  and  the  .Tabbies  and  Tortoiseshells 
should  be  good  of  their  several  varieties.  Of  course  it 
will  sometimes  happen  that  specimens  make  their  appear- 
ance, spotted,  barred  or  striped,  not  coming  strictly 
under  any  of  the  above  descriptions,  but  in  such 
cases  they  must  be  judged  on  their  merits  after  com- 
parison with  the  other  competitors. 


160  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

I  am  not  much  inclined  to  favour  any  of  the  cats  with 
white  markings  for  exhibition  purposes — except  perhaps 
Tortoiseshell  and  White,  which  are  often  very  pretty — and 
I  know  many  breeders  will  not  have  them  at  any  price. 

I  think  those  having  the  best  chance  at  a  show  are  the 
Red  Tabby  and  White,  and  the  Tortoiseshell  and  White, 
both  of  which  are  often  very  pretty  animals.  Next  to  them 
come  perhaps  the  Brown  and  Grey  Tabbies  and  White, 
and  the  Silver  Tabby  and  White  ;  then  the  Black  and 
White,  though  I  have  seldom  seen  specimens  of  this 
variety  correctly  marked  ;  and  lastly  the  Blue  and  Smoke 
and  White. 

Unless  the  Self  Whites,  all  cats,  in  my  opinion,  are 
more  valuable  either  for  sale  or  exhibition  if  entirely 
without  white  markings. 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  ANY  OTHER 
VARIETY  OF  LONG-HAIRED  CATS 

Head         . 10  Points 

Ears  ...  5       ,, 

Eyes .     10 

Chest  and  shoulders     .          .          .  .  .10,, 

Legs  and  feet      .         .         .         .  .                 5       ,, 

Brush  and  hind  quarters       .          .  .                 5       „ 

Coat .         .         .                   .          .  .               20       „ 

Condition  and  appearance     .         .  .  .10,, 

Colour  and  uniformity  of  markings  .  .20       ,, 

Size,  following  main  colour .         .  .                 5       ,, 

Total     100  Points 


S  .^<u 


a  -a 


H    .^jj 

ill 


CHAPTER   XXII 

THE    SHORT-HAIRED    BLACK    CAT 

CONTRARY  to  the  popular  opinion,  what  I  should  call  a 
real  black  cat  is  not  by  any  means  an  everyday  specimen 
to  be  met  with.  Scores  of  times  I  have  been  told  of  grand 
black  cats,  which  when  they  came  to  be  handled  were  not 
all  black,  but  had  a  white  speck  somewhere,  either  on  the 
neck,  chin,  chest,  or  one  of  the  feet,  and  even  at  the  tip  of 
the  tail. 

Numbers  of  the  colour  fail  in  their  eyes,  in  respect  of 
size,  shape,  and  especially  their  colour.  I  think  I  am  not 
overstepping  the  mark  if  I  say  not  one  black  cat  in  a 
hundred  is  perfect  in  this  point. 

One  of  the  best  I  ever  saw  belonged  to  a  friend  of 
mine,  a  well-known  fancier  ;  it  was  a  stray,  "  come  by 
chance,"  of  whose  previous  history  nothing  was  known, 
but  when  it  was  offered  to  him  my  friend  planked  down 
five  sovereigns  for  it  without  any  hesitation,  though  I 
expect  it  was  the  highest  price  ever  reached  for  a  short- 
haired  black  cat,  and  I  saw  it  again  and  again  with  first 
and  special  prize  cards  on  its  pen. 

Another  point  in  which  this  variety  is  often  defective 
is  the  tail,  which  should  be  moderately  long  and  fairly 
L  161 


1 62  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

substantial  ;  a  thin,  lanky  tail  is  an  abomination,  and 
should  be  avoided  ;  I  think  it  is  more  often  met  with  in 
female  specimens,  but  is  most  objectionable  in  either  sex. 

The  head,  especially  in  the  males,  should  be  fairly 
large,  round,  and  broad  across  the  forehead,  not  too  long 
in  face  nor  mean  in  muzzle,  well  cheeked,  and  with  a 
dignified  bearing. 

The  ears  should  be  fairly  large  and  broad  where  they 
spring  from  the  head,  and  carried  erect  and  open. 

The  eyes  are  of  more  importance  than  in  most 
varieties,  as  they  are  so  often  seen  a  pale  yellowish  green, 
but  should  be  a  deep  orange,  or  yolk-like  yellow,  large, 
round,  and  imperious  in  expression. 

The  body  should  be  well-knit  and  powerful  in  shape, 
combining  strength  and  activity. 

The  neck  rather  short  and  strong,  with  wide  shoulders 
and  broad  chest. 

The  legs  rather  long  and  well  boned,  with  small  round 
feet. 

The  tail  of  moderate  length  and  of  tapering  thickness 
from  the  root  to  the  tip. 

The  coat  should  be  deep  and  close  lying,  soft  to  the 
touch  and  shining  to  the  eye,  perhaps  sleek  is  an  expressive 
term  for  it. 

The  colour  should  be  pure  glossy,  not  sooty  black,  with- 
out a  spot  or  mark  anywhere,  having  almost  a  bloom  on  it. 

Condition  should  be  hard  and  muscular,  without  fat, 
and  general  appearance  of  activity  and  alertness. 

Size  of  males  to  twelve  pounds  ;  females,  to  eight 
pounds. 


WHITE — UCH.    BALLOCHMYLE   BILLIE  BLUE  EYES." 
Four  Championships,  many  First  Prizes.     Owner,  Lady  Alexander. 


To  face  page  163. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT 


163 


STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
SHORT-HAIRED  BLACK   CATS 


Head  . 

Ears  ...... 

Eyes  ...... 

Body 

Legs  and  feet 

Tail  .        ...        .         .      :  .          . 

Coat  .       ...         ,         .         * 

Colour        .          . 

Condition  and  general  appearance. 

Size  . 


,» 0   ;   .     10  Points 

•  v      5  » 

,v    J5  » 

,.    10  „ 

;'fe      /V   '        5  « 

•  *       X0  j> 

'.•     10  „ 

.       20  „ 

•  .IO  „ 

r 

Total      100  Points 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  WHITE  CAT 

This  is  a  great  favourite  with  the  writer,  who  for 
some  years  had  probably  the  best  team  of  the  colour, 
with  the  desired  blue  eyes,  ever  seen  in  the  possession  of 
one  owner,  and  they  took  prizes  wherever  shown. 

He  also  had  a  neuter  of  the  same  colour,  a  very  fine 
specimen,  scaling  fifteen  pounds  when  in  form,  who  took 
first  prize  in  his  class,  five  years  in  succession,  at  the 
Crystal  Palace  Cat  Shows  ;  and  was  so  perfect  in  other 
respects  that,  but  for  his  eyes  being  amber  colour,  instead 
of  blue,  would  have  been  <c  a  hard  nut  to  crack  "  for  the 
best  short-haired  cats  of  any  colour.  This  cat  and  one 
of  the  writer's  champions  are  two  of  the  illustrations 
herewith  given.  As  I  have  said  of  the  long-haired  Whites, 


164  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

so  I  may  say  of  this  variety,  it  is  not  unusual  to  find 
partial  or  total  deafness  amongst  them,  and  any  intending 
purchasers  should  satisfy  themselves  in  this  matter 
before  concluding  negotiations. 

I  always  fancy  I  can  tell  by  their  countenance  if 
they  have  this  affliction,  but  it  is  well  to  make  sure 
before  purchasing,  as  a  deaf  cat  is  often  a  nuisance,  and 
seldom  much  good  as  a  mouser. 

The  head  should  be  fairly  big,  very  rounded  in  shape  ; 
not  very  short  in  face  ;  broad  across  the  upper  part  of  the 
head,  and  deep  in  muzzle. 

The  ears,  rather  large,  and  wide  at  base,  very  open  to 
the  front,  and  carried  bolt  upright. 

The  eyes,  which  should  match  in  size  and  colour, 
should  be  large,  full,  very  intelligent  and  wide  awake  in 
expression,  and  of  turquoise  blue  in  shade. 

The  body  should  not  be  very  long,  but  moderately 
thick  in  shape,  with  rounded  sides  and  limbs. 

The  legs  should  be  longish  and  fairly  strong  in  bone, 
with  round  small  feet. 

The  tail  rather  thick  than  lanky,  and  carried  with  a 
curve  below  the  line  of  the  back. 

The  coat  should  be  short  and  deep,  fine  and  glossy 
in  texture,  with  dense  undercoat. 

The  colour  should  be  pure  flake  white,  without  any 
tint  or  shade  in  it. 

The  condition  should  be  firm  and  compact,  with  a 
comfortable  general  appearance  and  aspect. 

Size  of  males  to  ten  or  eleven  pounds  ;  females,  seven 
to  eight  pounds. 


WHITE — "CH.    LAUREL   EMPEROR.' 
Winner  numerous  Prizes.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


To  face  page  1 64. 


WHITE,  NEUTER—  "  LAURE 
Winner  nineteen  First  Prizes,  Crystal  Palace,  etc 


e     C   ^-  Lane, 


To  fa 


164. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  165 

I  should  have  said,  in  my  experience  I  have  rarely 
met  with  a  bad-tempered  cat  of  this  colour,  they  are 
usually  very  sociable,  and  make  charming  cats  for  the 
house,  and,  as  a  rule,  keep  themselves  wonderfully 
clean. 

Of  course,  for  exhibition  purposes  they  may  require 
extra  attention,  but  generally  it  will  be  found  that  a 
good  drenching  of  the  coat  with  fine  flour,  which  may  be 
done  with  an  ordinary  kitchen  dredger,  and  afterwards 
brushing  it  carefully  out,  will  give  all  the  cleansing 
required,  and  give  less  risk  of  cold  by  washing,  which  is 
often  a  very  troublesome  operation  with  cats. 

The  illustrations  to  this  sketch  are  Champions 
Ballochmyle,  Billie  Blue  Eyes,  Laurel  Emperor  and 
Laurel  Leonidas,  the  latter  both  belonging  to  the 
writer,  and  winners  of  numerous  prizes  at  all  the  best 
shows.  The  last  named  was  one  of  the  largest  white 
short-haired  cats  ever  shown. 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE   FOR  JUDGING 
SHORT-HAIRED  WHITE  CATS 

Head 10  Points 

Ears.                                                                    .  5  „ 

Eyes.                   .                                               .  15  „ 

Body ........  10  „ 

Legs  and  feet      ......  5  „ 

Tail  .         .         , 5  „ 

Coat .                            .         .                   .         .  10  „ 

Colour 25  „ 


1 66  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

Condition  and  general  appearance  .          .      10  Points 

5       „ 


Total     100  Points 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  BLUE  CAT 

I  think  there  is  no  difference  of  opinion  that  this 
variety  came  originally  from  Russia,  but  it  is  now  quite 
acclimatised,  and  breeds  freely  in  this  country,  though  I 
should  not  consider  it  common. 

It  always  strikes  me,  both  in  its  colour  and  ways,  as 
having  more  of  the  wild  animal  about  it  than  any  other  of 
the  domestic  cats. 

It  is  usually  very  quiet  and  undemonstrative  in 
manner,  and  not  particularly  sociable,  but  I  have  not 
found  it  bad  -  tempered,  more  what  I  should  call 
reserved. 

A  well-shaped,  even-coloured  specimen  of  this  variety 
generally  gets  into  the  first  three,  in  a  class  of  all  kinds 
of  short-haired  cats,  and  also  stands  a  good  chance  in  a 
class  for  Self-coloured  Short  Hairs,  or  Short-haired  Foreign 
Cats. 

At  many  of  the  larger  shows  classes  are  provided  for 
Short-haired  Blues,  when  it  may  be  observed  how 
many  different  shades  there  are  of  this  very  neutral  colour, 
and,  unless  divided  by  sex,  how  much  smaller  the  females 
are  than  the  males. 

I  have  known  more  than  one  instance  of  blue  kittens, 


BLUE — "CH.    BALLOCHMYLE   BROTHER    BUMP." 
Four  Championships,  many  First  Prizes.     Owner,  Lady  Alexander. 


BLUE— "  BALLOCHMYLE   BLUE  QUEEN." 
1st,  Crystal  Palace  ;  1st,  Westminster,  etc.,  etc.     Owner,  Lady  Alexander. 

To  face  page  167. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  167 

being  born  to  British  bred  and  born  cats,  without  any 
known  trace  of  Russian  blue  blood  in  their  veins,  but  I 
always  think  they  fail  in  type,  though  fairly  correct  in 
colour.  They  are  often  mean  and  pinched  in  muzzle,  and 
with  a  different  expression  of  countenance,  to  that 
noticeable  in  those  whose  ancestors  were  imported 
specimens. 

The  head  should  be  round,  fairly  large  in  males,  but 
much  smaller  in  females,  broad  and  well-filled-out  cheeks, 
and  rather  short  face  and  dark  nose. 

The  ears  rather  large,  full  and  open,  wider  than  most 
of  the  Short  Hairs. 

The  eyes  should  be  large,  round,  rather  sleepy  in  ex- 
pression, and  orange  yellow  in  colour. 

The  body  should  be  closely  knit,  compact  and  rounded 
in  its  outlines,  not  very  long,  and  without  flat  appearance 
at  the  sides. 

Legs  and  feet  rather  short  than  long,  and  muscular. 

The  tail  inclined  to  be  short  and  substantial. 

The  coat  should  be  short,  dense  and  close  lying, 
giving  a  sleek  appearance. 

The  colour  should  be  a  slaty  plum  -  coloured  blue, 
and  should  be  even  all  over,  without  tints  or  marks  ; 
in  very  light-coloured  specimens  the  eyes  may  be 
yellow. 

Condition  should  be  hard  and  workmanlike,  and  the 
appearance  always  conveys  the  idea  to  me  of  a  diminutive 
specimen  of  the  Puma. 

Size  of  males,  eight  to  ten  pounds  ;  of  females,  about 
six  to  eight  pounds. 


1 68  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
SHORT-HAIRED  BLUE  CATS 


Head          .         ....       ;        .         . 

10  Points 

Ears.         .       .  ..       5.         . 

-       5       » 

Eyes  .         .         ... 

.       10         „ 

Body.         .         .         ... 

.       10         „ 

Legs  and  feet      .... 

-       5       » 

Tail  

5      ^ 

Coat  ...... 

.       20         „ 

Colour        .          . 

•     25       „ 

Condition  and  general  appearance 

r 

Size  .         .         . 

•       5       ,, 

Total     100  Points 

CHAPTER    XXIII 

THE    SHORT-HAIRED    RED    TABBY    CAT 

THIS  variety  is  remarkable  in  two  ways  :  the  males  are 
usually  the  only  mates  available  for  Tortoiseshell  and 
Tortoiseshell  and  White  females,  for  those  desiring  to 
perpetuate  either  of  those  two  colours  ;  and  females  of 
this  variety  free  from  white  markings  are  considered 
more  scarce  than  those  of  any  other  kind  of  female  short- 
haired  cat. 

For  some  reason,  which  I  have  never  heard  explained, 
the  best  short-haired  Tabbies — Red,  Brown  and  Silver — 
seem  to  have  emanated  from  the  North  of  England,  Lan- 
cashire, Durham  and  Yorkshire  in  particular,  and  many 
of  the  greatest  prize-winners  of  the  past,  as  well  as  most 
of  the  best  known  now,  appear  to  have  come  from  these 
counties. 

A  really  well-marked  Red  Tabby,  in  good  form,  is  a 
very  handsome  animal,  and  worthy  of  admiration. 

The  illustrations  to  this  sketch  are  Champion  Balloch- 
myle  Perfection,  the  property  of  Lady  Alexander,  and 
probably  one  of  the  best  ever  exhibited  ;  the  other,  Lord 
Rufus,  a  great  winner,  was  first  exhibited  at  a  small  show 
in  Wiltshire,  where  he  was  claimed  by  the  Rev.  D.  G. 

169 


170  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

Truss,  and  some  time  afterwards  came  into  the  possession 
of  the  writer,  who  had  him  for  some  years. 

The  head  should  be  fairly  large,  well  rounded  in  shape, 
not  long  in  face,  and  tolerably  strong  in  muzzle  and  throat. 

The  ears  should  be  rather  small,  carried  erect,  with  a 
forward  turn,  not  very  wide  at  base,  clean  cut  and  neat. 

The  eyes  should  be  large,  round,  bold  in  expression 
and  yellow  in  colour. 

The  legs  and  feet  :  the  former  should  be  rather  long 
and  well  boned,  the  latter  round  and  small. 

The  body  should  be  deep  in  chest,  but  lengthy  in 
barrel,  and  rather  narrow  across  the  back  and  hind  quarters. 

The  tail  should  be  long,  but  not  thin,  tapering  towards 
the  tip,  and  marked  with  rings  throughout. 

The  coat  should  be  fine,  dense  and  sleek,  not  long 
anywhere,  and  have  a  glossy  appearance. 

The  colour  is  composed  of  a  rich  creamy  yellow 
ground,  barred  and  striped  with  rich  red,  sometimes 
nearly  as  deep  as  chocolate,  and  disposed  in  much  the 
same  way  as  on  the  Bengal  tiger,  which  may  be  looked 
upon  as  the  c<  Emperor  of  Tabby  cats." 

The  ground  colour  and  the  markings  should  each 
be  as  clear  and  distinct  as  possible,  and  unmixed  with  any 
other  shade  or  tint,  and  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  this 
is  the  reason  high-class  specimens  of  this  variety  are  so 
scarce  and  valuable. 

Condition  should  be  firm  as  to  flesh,  glossy  as  to 
coat,  and  appearance  that  of  an  active,  alert  animal. 

Size  varies  a  good  deal  in  the  sexes ;  for  while  males 
of  twelve  pounds  and  over  are  not  uncommon,  the  females 


RED  TABBY— "CH.    BALLOCHMYLE  PERFECTION." 
Winner  of  two  Gold  Medals,  100  First  Prizes,  etc.     Owner,  Lady  Alexander. 


RED   TABBY,   NEUTER— "  LORD    RUFUS." 
Winner  many  Prizes  and  Specials.     Owner,  C.  II.  Lane. 
To  face  page  \  70. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  171 

may  not  average  more  than  from  eight  to  ten  pounds, 
and  probably  the  majority  will  not  exceed  the  first-named 
weight. 

I  consider  both  sexes  of  this  variety  are  keen  vermin 
killers  as  a  rule,  not  confining  their  attention  to  rats 
and  mice  only,  but  engaging  with  weasels,  stoats,  and 
even  polecats,  if  they  come  in  their  way. 

They  are  all  right  with  people  they  know,  but  I  have 
not  found  them  very  sociable  with  strangers,  nor  are  they 
disposed  to  be  friendly  towards  other  people's  cats  who  may 
trespass  on  what  they  look  upon  as  their  domain,  and  a 
word  followed  by  a  blow  is  generally  their  order  of  battle  ; 
and  it  takes  a  good  warrior,  of  any  variety  of  cat  to  <c  take 
down  "  an  adult  male  Red  Tabby  fairly  on  his  mettle. 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
SHORT-HAIRED  RED  TABBY  CATS 

Head          .          .          .          .          .          .          .10  Points 

Ears  .                                      .         .  5  „ 

Eyes            .          .          .          .          .          .          .  10  5, 

Body 10  „ 

Legs  and  feet       ......  5  ,, 

Tail 5  „ 

Coat 10  „ 

Colour        .         .          .         .         .         .         .  25  „ 

Condition  and  general  appearance           .  15  ,, 

Size    ........  5  ,, 


Total  100  Points 


172  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

THE  SHORT-HAIRED  SILVER  TABBY  CAT 

Although  it  is  very  rare  to  see  specimens  of  this 
variety  attain  great  size,  I  think  they  are  very  pretty 
animals,  and  generally  admired. 

I  think  I  have  had  more  of  them  than  anyone  else  I 
remember,  in  the  South  or  West  of  England,  and  for 
many  years  could  bench  or  pen  the  best  team  of  the 
colour  probably  ever  seen  in  the  possession  of  one  owner, 
comprising  a  champion  of  each  sex,  and  three  or  four 
runners  up. 

I  won  scores  of  prizes  with  those  at  all  the  best  shows, 
and  there  were  no  short-haired  cats  better  known  ;  one 
of  them,  a  female,  own  sister  to  Mrs  George  Herring's 
Jimmy,  was,  I  should  imagine,  the  best  female  short-haired 
cat  ever  exhibited. 

Her  brother  was  a  very  handsome  cat,  took  numerous 
prizes,  and  was  the  only  cat  I  remember  taking  the  Gold 
Medal  of  the  National  Cat  Club,  at  the  Crystal  Palace 
Show,  as  c<  best  Cat,  Long  or  Short-haired,"  in  the  show. 

On  several  occasions  his  sister  was  put  over  him,  and 
it  was  always  a  close  thing  between  them,  but  they  were 
both  so  good,  it  was  almost  a  case  of  condition. 

Miss  Moore  had  a  nice  female,  Jenny,  who  was 
put  over  mine  once  or  twice,  I  think  they  were  aunt  and 
niece,  but  she  was  nothing  like  so  correct  in  points,  nor 
did  she  show  herself  off  so  well. 

I  think  Champion  Jimmy,  Miss  Moore's  Jenny,  and  my 
own  Laurel  King,  who  was  her  son  and  a  champion  like  her- 
self, were  the  only  three  "in  the  same  street"  with  Champion 


SILVER   TABBY — "  CH.   JIMMY." 

Gold  and  Silver  Medals  and  Specials  innumerable.     Champion  Short-Haired 
Male  Cat.     Owner,  Mrs  Louisa  Herring. 


To  face  page  173 


SILVER   TABBY— "CH.    LAUREL   KING." 
Two  Gold  Medals,  Cup,  many  First  Prizes,  etc.     Owner,  C.  II.  Lane. 


'to  face  page  173. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  173 

Laurel  Queen,  who  had  the  grace  and  style  of  her  mother, 
Jenny,  that  came  to  me  from  the  late  Herbert  Young  of 
Harrogate,  who  was  quite  an  enthusiast  about  cats,  and 
a  very  skilful  breeder  of  them,  and  he  told  me  he  had 
her  from  Mr  Sugden  of  Withnell,  near  Chorley,  Yorkshire, 
and  her  beautiful  colour  and  clear  markings  she  took  from 
her  sire,  Champion  King  of  the  Fancy,  of  whose  off- 
spring I  never  saw  a  bad  specimen,  but  I  think  he  was 
seldom  shown.  Laurel  Prince,  Laurel  Silvie  and  Silver 
Star  were  others  of  high  quality,  who  took  numbers  of 
prizes,  but  with  three  champions  of  the  variety  well  to  the 
fore,  and  all  often  shown,  they  had  not  that  chance  of 
getting  to  the  top  of  the  tree  which  has  been  afforded 
since.  I  hope  to  give,  with  this  sketch,  reproductions  of 
the  portraits  of  Champions  Jimmy  and  Laurel  Queen, 
brother  and  sister,  and  Champion  Laurel  King,  son  of 
last  named,  as  representative  specimens  of  the  variety. 

I  believe  it  is  not  only  unique  in  the  fact  that  the 
three  champions  were  closely  related,  brother,  sister, 
nephew,  and  had  taken  more  and  better  prizes  than  any 
three  short-haired  cats  living  or  ever  seen,  but  that  it 
was  the  only  instance  on  record  where  there  were  three 
champions  in  existence  at  the  same  time  of  any  variety 
of  short-haired  cat ;  and  I  do  not  remember  a  case  since, 
but  I  am  not  positive  about  this. 

I  have  owned  and  seen  many  Silver  Tabbies  since,  but 
none  quite  as  good  as  those  three,  in  all  of  which  it 
was  much  easier  to  point  out  a  beauty  than  to  find  a 
defect. 

There  is  nearly  always  much  difference  in  the   sizes 


174  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

of  the  sexes,  and  while  the  males  are  fairly  big  cats,  the 
females  are  mostly  on  the  small  side. 

The  head  should  not  be  large  or  coarse,  fairly  short 
in  face,  not  pinched  in  muzzle,  and  with  rounded  cheeks. 

The  ears  of  medium  size,  narrow  and  rounded  at  top, 
broader  below. 

The  eyes  round  shaped,  rather  full  and  brilliant,  very 
intelligent  in  expression,  deep  bright  yellow  in  colour. 

Legs  and  feet  longish,  fine  in  bone,  and  feet  small 
and  neat. 

Body  rather  long  in  barrel  and  flat  in  sides,  fairly  deep 
in  chest,  but  not  wide  across  shoulders. 

Tail  longish,  but  not  too  thin. 

Coat,  short,  fine,  glossy,  and  soft  feeling. 

Condition  and  general  appearance,  firm  and  compact, 
with  no  superfluous  flesh,  muscular  and  lithe,  giving 
promise  of  great  vivacity  of  temperament  and  activity. 

Size,  perhaps  twelve  pounds  would  be  a  high  average 
for  males,  and  about  eight  pounds  for  females.  I  have 
seen  males  of  this  colour  closely  approaching  twenty 
pounds,  but  in  all  such  cases  they  have  lost  by  being 
coarse,  and  were  generally  fat ;  but  I  never  remember 
seeing  a  female  exceeding  ten  pounds,  and  I  am  sure 
they  rarely  come  up  to  that  weight. 

I  should  perhaps  add  that  where  so  many  Silver 
Tabbies  fail  is  in  their  ground  colour  not  being  clear  and 
pure,  free  from  any  tint,  and  the  black  markings  not 
intense  enough. 

I  have  left  the  speaking  of  the  desired  colour  to  the 
last ;  the  ground  should  be  a  sort  of  pale  lavender  shade  of 


/po/«  23 'e/,6. 


SILVER   TABBY— "CH.    LAUREL   QUEEN." 

Two  Gold  and  many  Silver  Medals,  thirty-five  Specials,  hundreds  of  First  Prizes 
everywhere.  Champion  Female  Short-hair  Cat  of  the  World  !  Owner, 
C.  H.  Lane. 


To  face  page  174. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  175 

French  grey,  all  over,  with  Tabby  markings  of  pure  black 
on  the  face,  head,  chest,  back,  sides  and  tail,  precisely  as 
set  out  for  the  other  Tabby  marked  cats  ;  the  ground 
between  the  stripes  should  be  broader  than  they 
are,  or  they  will  appear  too  dark  in  colour,  and  the 
marks  on  face,  forehead  and  chest  should  be  distinct  and 
clear. 


STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
SHORT-HAIRED  SILVER  TABBY  CATS 

Head          .         .  .  ..  <  ;;*~  ^.  <,     10  Points 
Ears  .                                                                           5        „ 

Eyes.         .  .  .5 

Body  and  shape  .  .;  .  ,v         .-  ;.•::    10       „ 

Legs  and  feet      .  :^;r  .  .  ,  >'«  •        5 

Tail  .          .         |ft  O."i:  ;*         .          .  -V       5 

Coat  .  .  .  ?.          ju;<-       n£,  i        .         .<..      IO 

Size  .          .          .         v-r     >X'         .          .       .  *      10 
Condition  and  appearance    .          .          .  15       „ 

Colour  and  markings  .          .          .        ^.,  25       „ 


Total     100  Points 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  BROWN  TABBY  CAT 

Everyone  thinks  they  know,  and  have  often  seen,  a 
specimen  of  this  variety,  and  many  fondly  fancy  "they 
have  one  at  home,  quite  as  good  as  the  one  that  has  taken 
a  prize  at  the  show,"  for  I  have  often  heard  them  say  so, 


176  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

in  quite  a  loud  voice,  at  the  show,  but  did  not  believe  it 
any  the  more  for  that ! 

In  fact,  real  Brown  Tabbies  are  comparatively  rare, 
and  when  you  find  one  good  one,  you  will  discover  at 
least  fifty  not  up  to  the  mark. 

I  think  the  best  Brown  Tabby  that  has  been  brought 
out  for  many  years  was  the  late  Champion  Xenophon,  the 
property  of  Lady  Decies,  and  I  have  always  thought  I  did 
a  foolish  thing  in  refusing  the  offer  of  him,  long  before 
her  ladyship  ever  heard  of  him,  when  I  could  have  had 
him  for  less  than  a  quarter  of  the  price  for  which  he  was 
afterwards  sold  to  a  friend  of  mine. 

It  so  happened,  I  had  a  lot  of  cats,  some  thirty  or 
forty  I  think,  at  the  time,  and  was  not  anxious  for  more, 
and  so  missed  my  chance  ;  and  although,  whenever  they 
met,  whether  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  or  any  other  large 
shows,  my  Brown  Tabby,  Laurel  Quar,  who  was  really 
a  better  brown  in  colour  than  he,  but  lost  to  him  in  size 
and  general  appearance,  had  to  play  second  fiddle  as  long 
as  he  remained  in  the  band  ;  it  would  have  been  more 
satisfactory  to  have  owned  both,  when  I  could  have  made 
each  a  champion,  as  I  held  the  winning  cards,  with  two 
champions  in  Whites  and  the  same  in  Silver  Tabbies, 
which  were  the  only  two  varieties  to  be  much  feared. 

I  am  pleased,  however,  that  Xenophon  got  into  good 
and  appreciative  hands,  in  both  his  late  owners,  and  that  he 
had  a  thoroughly  good  time. 

I  am  glad  to  give  the  reproduction  of  a  capital  portrait 
of  him,  as  I  think,  taking  him  all  round,  he  was  the  best 
specimen  of  the  variety  I  can  call  to  mind  ;  I  mean  with 


BROWN   TABBY—"  CH.    FULMER    XKNOPHON." 
Best  Brown  Tabby  ever  exhibited.     Owner,  Lady  Decies. 


BROWN   TABBY— "  LAUREL  QUAR." 
Winner  numerous  First  and  Second  Prizes,  Crystal  Palace,  etc.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 

7i?  face  bage  1 ; 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  177 

less  faults  and  more  beauties ;  and  when  in  form  I  would 
have  taken  him  in  preference  to  anyone  else's  cat  (of  course, 
not  including  my  own)  in  the  show,  although,  that  is  what 
our  American  cousins  would  call  "rather  a  large  order/' 

Now,  to  give  my  views  about  this  variety.  As  long  as 
it  is  not  coarse,  I  like  the  head  large  and  massive,  well 
rounded  at  sides,  fairly  long  in  face,  strong  in  muzzle,  and 
broad  across  forehead. 

Ears  of  medium  size,  wide  at  base,  narrowing  and 
rounded  at  tips. 

Eyes  very  full  and  brilliant,  orange  yellow  in  colour, 
with  a  glint  of  green  within  ;  very  expressive. 

Body  large  and  powerful  in  build,  being  long  and 
deep,  with  broad  chest  and  shoulders. 

Legs  strong  and  with  plenty  of  bone  ;  feet  not  large, 
and  round  shaped. 

Tail  long  rather  than  short,  but  very  thick  at  root, 
with  gradual  tapering  towards  the  tip. 

Coat  should  be  moderately  long,  dense  and  close,  with 
a  glossy  appearance  to  it. 

Condition  should  be  hard,  fine  and  muscular. 
Appearance  that  of  an  active  but  powerful  animal,  with 
a  due  sense  of  self-importance  about  it,  and  a  great  deal 
of  style. 

Size,  males  up  to  twenty  pounds  ;  perhaps  twelve  to 
fifteen  pounds  a  good  average  ;  females,  from  eight  to 
eleven  pounds,  more  to  be  seen  within  than  exceeding 
those  limits. 

Colour  to  be  as  rich  in  the  brown  colouring  of  the 
ground  as  possible,  and  the  black  stripes,  bars  and  curves 

M 


I78 


RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 


to  be  as  intense  in  shade  as  obtainable,  the  one  or  two 
stripes  across  chest,  forming  the  Lord  Mayor's  chain,  in 
particular  should  be  much  in  evidence. 

When  one  has  the  opportunity  of  seeing  a  downright 
first-class  specimen  of  this  variety,  it  is  a  thing,  in  the  words 
of  the  late  Captain  Cuttle,  "  to  be  made  a  note  of." 

The  illustrations  to  this  sketch  are  portraits  of 
Champion  Xenophon  and  the  writer's  Laurel  Quar,  two  of 
the  best  specimens  of  the  variety  seen  for  many  years. 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
SHORT-HAIRED  BROWN  TABBY  CATS 

Head 

Ears 

Eyes  ...... 

Body  and  shape  ..... 

Legs  and  feet     ..... 

Tail.         ; 

Coat 

Condition  and  appearance    . 

Size  ....... 

Colour  and  markings  .... 

Total     100  Points 


IO 

Points 

5 

,, 

IO 

5  » 

IO 

„ 

5 

35 

5 

J5 

IO 

5) 

10 

„ 

IO 

5) 

25 

5) 

THE  SPOTTED  TABBY  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT 

As  far  as  my  experience  goes,  this  is  by  far  the  least 
common  of  all  the  Tabbies,  and  correctly  -  marked 
specimens  are  very  rarely  seen.  I  am  bound  to  say  they 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  179 

do  not  receive  much  encouragement,  as  at  very  few  shows 
indeed  do  they  have  classes  provided  for  them,  and  even 
then  nearly  always  have  to  be  shown  all  together. 

The  title  of  each  depends  on  the  ground  colour  of  the 
coat.  There  are  Brown,  Grey,  Silver  and  Red- Spotted 
Tabbies,  of  which  I  fancy  the  last  is  most  often  seen,  but 
generally  fails  in  the  brightness  and  distinctness  of  its 
spots,  and  the  ground  is  often  a  washy  pale  yellow,  which 
gives  a  blurred  look  to  the  coat. 

A  really  well-marked  Spotted  Tabby,  especially  that 
called  Silver,  is  a  very  pretty  animal,  but  too  rarely  seen. 

The  head  should  be  small,  medium  in  size,  neither 
short  in  face  nor  pinched  in  muzzle. 

The  ears  standing  well  open  to  the  front,  rounded  at 
tips  and  not  too  wide  at  base. 

The  eyes  round,  full,  and  intelligent-looking,  and  in 
colour  follow  the  rules  laid  down  for  the  several  Tabbies. 

The  body  rather  long  and  flat-sided,  not  heavy 
limbed,  but  light  and  active  in  build. 

The  legs  rather  long  than  short,  the  feet  small  and 
compact. 

The  tail  long  and  gracefully  carried,  tapering  to  the 
end,  but  not  thin  or  skinny-looking. 

The  coat  should  be  short,  fine,  close  lying  and  glossy 
in  appearance  and  feeling  soft  to  the  touch. 

The  condition  should  be  firm,  moderately  muscular, 
and  the  general  aspect  elegant  and  graceful  in  outlines. 

The  size  of  males  may  average  ten  pounds,  and  of 
females  about  eight  pounds,  but  I  do  not  object  to  a  little 
more  in  each,  provided  type  and  quality  are  present. 


i8o  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

The  colour  is  of  course  very  important  ;  whatever  the 
ground  may  be,  all  the  markings  everywhere  should  be 
mainly  composed  of  distinct  and  well-defined  spots,  which, 
except  in  the  case  of  the  Spotted  Red  Tabby,  when  they 
are  a  deep  rich  red,  should  be  nearly  black,  and  the  more 
they  approach  this  shade  the  better  will  be  the  general 
effect. 

A  great  many  specimens  may  be  seen  with  stripes  and 
spots,  but  these  are  not  what  are  wanted,  and  probably 
arise  from  the  inter-breeding  of  striped  with  spotted  cats. 
The  only  approach  to  a  line  or  stripe  of  colour  in  a 
Spotted  Tabby  is  the  trace  running  along  the  back,  and 
even  this,  to  be  quite  in  order,  should  be  made  up  of  a 
number  of  spots  from  the  back  of  the  neck  to  the  root  of 
the  tail,  which  should  also  be  marked  with  spots  from  one 
end  to  the  other. 

I  have  usually  found  this  variety  of  a  placid  and 
amiable  disposition,  perhaps  not  so  playful  as  some,  but 
with  no  disagreeable  characteristics. 

Of  course  the  colour  is  a  matter  of  taste,  but  to  my 
mind  the  Silver  Spotted  Tabby,  with  dense  black  spots 
on  a  pale  lavender  ground,  which  shows  them  off  well,  is 
the  prettiest  of  all. 

STANDARD    OF    EXCELLENCE    FOR    JUDGING 
SPOTTED  TABBY  SHORT-HAIRED  CATS 

Head          .......     10  Points 

Ears  .  5       „ 

Eyes  to  follow  ground  colour        .         .         .10       ,, 


%, 


SPOTTED   SILVER  TABBY— "  TIDULES." 
1st,  Crystal  Palace,  etc.     Owner,  R.  J.  Babb. 


To  face  page  181, 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  181 


Body  and  shape  .        ':, 

Legs  and  feet      .  '      'i,          .         :. 

Coat .          .         . 

Condition  and  general  appearance 

Size  ...... 

Colour  and  markings  . 
Tail. 


Total     100  Points 


THE  NARROW-STRIPED  SHORT-HAIRED  TABBY  CAT 

There  is  one  other  Tabby  variety  of  which  I  should 
like  to  say  a  few  words,  the  more  so  as,  although  by  no 
means  rare,  it  is  perhaps  not  so  often  seen  as  the  other 
members  of  the  family. 

It  is  essentially  a  Tabby,  and,  unless  restrictions  are 
specially  made  at  any  show,  can  fairly  be  shown  in 
"  Tabbies  Any  Colour  "  Class. 

As  a  rule  it  has  a  dark  iron  grey  ground  colour,  but 
the  stripes,  which  are  narrow  and  should  be  black,  run 
down  each  side,  starting  from  the  black  trace  along  the 
spine,  somewhat  in  the  fashion  of  the  stripes  on  a  tiger. 

There  is  a  good  difference  in  the  sizes  of  the  sexes,  for, 
while  I  have  often  seen  quite  large  males  of  this  variety,  I 
never  remember  seeing  more  than  an  ordinary-sized 
female. 

As  far  as  my  experience  goes,  it  is  very  seldom  you  see 
markings  of  this  particular  type  on  a  light  grey  or  silver 
ground,  or  on  any  specimen  of  the  Red  Tabby  colour ;  so 


1 82  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

that  although  I  have  never  seen  a  class  provided  for  them, 
and  have  always  met  them  either  in  Mixed  Tabby  or  Variety 
Classes,  I  think  they  are  as  much  entitled  to  be  considered 
a  distinct  variety  as  Spotted  Tabbies,  and  believe  there  are 
plenty  of  them  about  if  they  were  looked  after  and 
brought  to  the  front. 

Many  I  have  seen  were  very  handsome  specimens,  and 
well  worthy  of  notice,  and  I  have  little  doubt  if  taken 
up  by  some  careful  breeders  a  good  deal  might  be  done 
with  them. 

The  head  should  be  round,  strong  in  muzzle,  short  in 
face,  and  with  well-filled  cheeks. 

The  ears  rather  small,  with  rounded  tips. 

The  eyes  large,  round,  lustrous  and  orange  yellow, 
with  a  look  of  green  in  them  ;  intelligent  expression. 

The  legs  rather  short,  strong  in  bone  ;  feet  round. 

The  body  moderately  long  and  deep,  broad  across 
the  shoulders,  back  and  hind  quarters,  cobby  more  than 
lanky. 

The  tail  thick  and  strong,  carried  in  a  curve,  marked 
with  the  body  colours  in  rings  from  end  to  end. 

The  coat  dense,  but  not  long  or  coarse,  sleek  and  soft. 

The  condition  muscular,  firm  and  hard,  and  general 
appearance  tiger-like  and  stately. 

The  size  of  males  to  twelve  or  thirteen  pounds  ;  of 
females,  to  eight  or  nine  pounds. 

The  colour  to  be  shades  of  iron  grey  all  over  for  the 
ground,  with  Tabby  markings  on  face  much  as  in  the 
other  Tabbies,  but  the  body  markings  to  be  made  up  of 
narrow  black  stripes  running  downwards  from  the  spine. 


NARROW   STRIPED   TABBY — "SILVER/ 
Owner,  Mrs  Fossett. 


70  face  page  183* 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT 


183 


STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  NARROW- 
STRIPED  SHORT-HAIRED  TABBY  CATS. 


Head         ... 
Ears  ....          .' 
Eyes .         . 
Legs  and  feet      . 

Body 

Tail 

Coat 

Condition  and  general  appearance 
Size  .         .          .         .         . 
Colour 


io  Points 

r 
.       10         „ 

.       5       » 
.     io      ,, 

•  5       » 
5 

•  I0      » 

•  io       „ 

•  39 
Total     100  Points 


CHAPTER   XXIV 

THE    SMOKE-COLOURED    SHORT-HAIRED    CAT 

THIS,  which  is  not  to  be  confounded  with  the  Russian 
Blue,  to  which  at  first  sight  it  bears  some  little  resem- 
blance, is  by  no  means  a  very  common  variety. 

I  have  had  several  specimens  at  different  times,  and 
am  rather  partial  to  them. 

They  nearly  always,  as  far  as  I  have  noticed,  have 
some  faint  Tabby  markings  on  the  body,  so  much  so  that 
I  know  they  are  called  by  some  people  Black  Tabbies,  and 
it  is  quite  possible  they  originated  from  the  mating  of  a 
Black  and  a  Blue,  but  I  think  they  are  now  an  established 
variety,  although  they  never  have  classes  provided  for 
them  at  any  shows  I  have  attended,  and  I  have  always 
exhibited  mine  in  the  Any  Other  Variety  Short  Hairs, 
and  never,  I  think,  without  gaining  honours  with 
them. 

Although  I  am  sure  some  of  this  variety  have  been 
produced  by  the  union  of  other  colours,  I  think  two 
Smokes  may  be  relied  on  to  reproduce  their  own  shade  of 
coat,  and  I  am  rather  surprised  they  have  not  received 
more  encouragement. 

184 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  185 

I  have  never  seen  this  variety  even  mentioned  in  any 
book  on  cats,  but  will  give  my  views  about  it. 

The  head  should  be  fairly  large,  well  rounded,  with 
moderately  short  face  and  strong  muzzle. 

The  ears  should  be  rather  wide  at  base,  with  rounded 
tips,  and  carried  erect,  well  open  to  front. 

The  eyes  should  be  round,  bold  and  full,  orange 
yellow  in  colour,  and  alert  in  expression. 

The  body  well-knit  and  compact,  not  long  or  flat  in 
barrel,  and  muscular  in  build. 

The  legs  should  be  rather  long,  and  feet  round  and 
small  in  shape. 

The  tail  should  be  fairly  thick  at  root,  tapering  to  the 
tip,  and  of  moderate  length. 

The  coat  should  be  dense,  short  and  smooth,  more 
abundant  on  the  shoulders  and  hind  quarters  than  on 
other  parts  of  the  body. 

The  condition  should  be  hard,  muscular,  and  giving 
promise  of  power  and  activity. 

The  size  should  average  about  nine  to  ten  pounds, 
for  males ;  and  from  seven  to  eight  pounds  for 
females. 

The  colour  should  be  nearly  black  slate,  of  a  dull 
almost  sooty  hue.  I  do  not  consider  faint  Tabby  markings, 
if  they  are  hardly  perceptible  except  in  strong  lights,  are 
a  drawback,  as  specimens  good  in  other  respects  are  so 
seldom  met  with  free  from  them. 

The  illustration  to  this  sketch  is  a  portrait  of  the 
writer's  Luke,  winner  of  many  prizes  at  the  Crystal 
Palace  and  elsewhere,  a  very  perfect  specimen. 


1  86 


RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 


STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  SMOKE- 
COLOURED  SHORT-HAIRED  CATS 

Head          .         .         .          .          .  . 

Ears  . 

Eyes.         .  . 

Body  and  shape  .          .         .          .  . 

Legs  and  feet      .         .         /         .  . 
Tail  .                            ..... 

Coat.  .... 

Condition  and  general  appearance  . 

Colour        .         .          .          .          .  . 


io  Points 

•  5       „ 

•  io       „ 

.       10 

•  5       » 
•  •      •       5       » 

•  15       » 

•  io      „ 

•  25       „ 

•  5      » 

Total      100  Points 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  BLACK  AND  WHITE  CAT 

This  variety,  correctly  marked,  is  not  so  common  as 
the  outside  public  may  suppose ;  in  the  course  of  a  long 
career  as  breeder  and  exhibitor,  I  do  not  think  I  have 
owned  more  than  three  or  four  I  considered  good  enough 
to  exhibit. 

Almost  all  the  cats  of  different  colours,  I  think  more 
especially  amongst  the  Short  Hairs,  have  some  peculiarities 
or  characteristics  which  seem  to  belong  to  themselves, 
and  I  always  fancy  there  is  a  solemnity,  gravity,  and 
clerical  aspect  about  Black  and  White  cats  ;  so  that,  if 
you  met  with  one  in  a  Bishop's  Palace  or  a  Deanery,  you 
would  feel  it  was  quite  in  keeping  with  its  surroundings. 

They  are  usually  very  demure  and  placid  in  demeanour, 


SMOKE — "  LAUREL  LUKE." 
1st,  Crystal  Palace ;  2nd,  Brighton,  etc.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


To  face  page  1 86. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  187 

and  I  never  remember  to  have  seen  one  of  this  colour 
taking  part  in  raids  on  the  chickens  in  the  poultry  yard 
or  the  nocturnal  scrimmages  in  the  back  gardens  so  often 
heard.  They  seem  to  preserve  an  air  of  perfect  respecta- 
bility in  accordance  with  their  appearance,  and  act  up 
to  it! 

The  head  should  be  large  and  well  rounded,  with  well- 
filled-out  cheeks  and  fairly  strong  muzzle  on  a  face  of 
moderate  length. 

The  ears  somewhat  large  and  full,  carried  very  erect, 
well  open  in  front,  tips  pointed. 

The  eyes  round,  full,  with  placid  expression,  rich 
yellow  with  a  green  glint  in  them. 

The  legs  and  feet  :  former  strongly  made  with  plenty 
of  bone  in  them,  fairly  long,  but  not  leggy  ;  the  latter 
small  and  compact. 

The  body  thick  and  plump  rather  than  long  or 
flat-sided,  and  the  shape  somewhat  cobby. 

The  tail  thick  and  strong  at  base,  tapering  to  the 
point,  but  not  long  or  mean-looking. 

The  coat  very  dense  with  a  gloss  upon  it,  and  not 
long  anywhere. 

The  condition  should  be  hard  and  muscular  rather 
than  fat,  and  the  appearance  that  of  an  active,  but  con- 
tented and  comfortable-looking  animal. 

The  size  should  be  about  ten  to  twelve  pounds  for 
males  ;  and  from  seven  to  nine  pounds  for  females. 

The  colour  is  most  important.  Black  is  the  prevail- 
ing shade,  and  should  be  as  dense  as  possible  all  over, 
except  the  mouth,  chin,  lips,  parts  of  the  cheeks,  whiskers 


i88 


RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 


and  chest,  and  all  the  four  feet,  which  should  be  pure 
white  ;  the  white  on  face  running  up  between  the  eyes  in 
a  blaze,  something  like  that  seen  in  a  Dutch  Rabbit. 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  SHORT-HAIRED 
BLACK  AND  WHITE  CATS 

Head          ...... 

Ears 

Eyes  . 

Body  and  shape  ..... 
Legs  and  feet       ..... 

Tail 

Coat 

Condition  and  general  appearance  . 
Size    ....... 

Colour        ...... 

Total     100  Points 

THE  SHORT-HAIRED  WHITE  AND  BLACK  CAT 

I  consider  this  variety  in  marked  contrast,  in  point  of 
character  and  disposition,  to  the  last  named,  as  those  I 
have  known  have  been  of  the  light-hearted,  happy-go- 
lucky  temperament,  the  first  in  a  scrimmage  or  scuffle  and 
the  last  to  leave  off ;  demons  for  vermin  and  very 
sporting  in  their  tastes.  This  accounts  for  their  being 
often  found  amongst  the  victims  of  the  gamekeepers' 
attention  to  trespassers,  either  really,  or  supposed  to  be, 
in  pursuit  of  fur  and  feather  in  the  woods  and  plantations. 


10 

Points 

5 

„ 

10 

5) 

IO 

,, 

5 

)) 

5 

3) 

IO 

„ 

15 

J) 

5 

„ 

25 

J) 

fta 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  189 

They  are  more  often  leggy  than  not,  and  have  usually 
a  long,  rather  lanky,  tucked-up  appearance,  with  more 
muscle  than  flesh,  but  giving  the  idea  of  any  amount  of 
activity  and  energy,  and  seeming  more  to  enjoy  an  out- 
door life  at  a  cottage  or  farm  in  the  country,  than  to  be 
cooped  up  in  a  warm  room  and  made  much  of  as  a 
domestic  favourite. 

I  have  not  found  them  bad-tempered  or  unsociable, 
but  do  not  consider  they  care  about  a  lot  of  handling  or 
pulling  about ;  there  is  something  eminently  workmanlike 
about  them  as  a  rule,  which  precludes  the  idea  of  their 
being  petted  very  much. 

As  might  be  supposed,  specimens  of  this  variety  differ 
much  in  their  markings,  which  should  be  quite  pure 
black,  unmixed  with  tabby  or  white  hairs,  and  the  more 
they  harmonise  in  evenness  and  uniformity,  the  better 
they  are,  but  two  are  not  often  seen  exactly  alike  ;  one 
may  have  black  ears,  feet,  tail,  and  a  spot  or  two  on  body  ; 
another  may  be  all  white  except  markings  on  head  and 
tail,  and  another  with  head  and  tail  white  and  markings 
on  body  and  legs  only. 

I  hope,  as  illustration  to  this  sketch,  to  give  a  portrait 
of  one  of  my  own,  whom  I  called  Magpie,  and  whose 
colours  I  rather  liked  ;  he  was  nearly  all  white,  except 
black  on  head  and  tail,  and  four  large  spots  on  his 
body.  I  shall  say  something  of  him  hereafter  in  my 
anecdotes. 

The  head  should  be  small,  very  round,  rather  long 
faced  and  lean,  with  longish  neck,  and  narrow  shoulders 
and  chest. 


190  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

The  ears  very  erect  in  carriage,  rather  large  in  size, 
and  very  open  and  wide-awake  looking. 

The  eyes  are  very  round  and  staring,  greenish  yellow 
in  colour,  and  with  a  smart  alert  expression. 

The  legs  are  long  and  fine  in  bone,  with  small  round 
feet. 

The  body  long,  flat-sided,  and  rather  lean  than  plump, 
very  lithe  and  active-looking. 

The  tail  long,  moderately  thin  to  the  point,  and 
carried  gracefully. 

The  condition  muscular,  firm  and  hard,  and  the 
general  appearance  denoting  much  muscular  vigour. 

The  coat  short,  fine,  and  shiny,  very  close  lying  to 
the  skin. 

The  size  not  differing  much  in  the  sexes,  averaging 
from  eight  to  ten  pounds,  perhaps  rarely  exceeding  nine 
pounds. 

The  colour  to  be  white  in  predominance,  with  black 
markings,  as  uniform  as  possible,  distributed  all  over, 
from  head  to  tail,  with  a  preference  for  some  on  both  the 
last  named. 


STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  WHITE 
AND  BLACK  SHORT-HAIRED  CATS 

Head          .         .          ...         .          .         .10  Points 

Ears 5      „ 

Eyes  .         .         .         .         -1         .         .  .      .     10      „ 

Body  and  shape  .         .         .         .         .          .10,, 

Legs  and  feet      ......       5       „ 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  191 

Tail    .  .          .          .          .          .          .5  Points 

Coat 10      „ 

Condition  and  general  appearance  .          .          .15,, 

Size 5       „ 

Colour         .          .         .          .          .          .          .     25       „ 


Total    100  Points 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  TABBY  AND  WHITE  CAT 

This  variety  really  comprises  the  several  Tabbies 
with  white  markings,  and  although  they  do  not  receive 
the  same  amount  of  favour  at  the  hands  of  either  fanciers 
or  judges  usually  accorded  to  those  without  white,  many 
of  them  are,  in  my  opinion,  very  beautiful  animals. 

You  see  Red,  Dark,  Brown,  Grey  and  Silver  Tabbies 
and  White,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  taste  which  is  the 
prettiest.  I  incline  to  the  Dark  and  the  Silver,  but  have 
had  specimens  of  them  all  at  one  time  or  another. 

Of  course,  there  must  be  uniformity  and  evenness  in 
the  markings  for  show  purposes  ;  a  cat  all  white,  with  the 
exception  of  some  blotches  or  spots  of  tabby  about  it, 
would  not  stand  much  chance  of  a  prize  in  a  good  show. 

Tabby  must  be  the  predominent  feature,  and  plenty 
of  it,  the  white  being  disposed  uniformly  and  unmixed 
with  the  tabby  anywhere. 

What  I  like  to  see  in  them  is  a  body  all  tabby,  with 
four  white  feet.  I  do  not  mind  the  hind  feet  being  a  little 
more  white  than  those  in  front,  if  they  are  alike. 


192  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

The  face,  chest  and  chin  white,  with  a  blaze  up  the 
forehead  between  the  eyes  ;  and  the  under  part  of  the 
body  also  white. 

The  head  should  be  round,  not  very  large,  and  with  a 
moderately  long  face. 

The  ears  small,  well  placed  and  erect  in  carriage. 

The  eyes  should  be  bright  and  round  shaped,  follow- 
ing the  colour  of  the  Tabby  in  shade. 

The  body,  fairly  long,  but  not  lanky  or  flat-sided,  and 
muscular  in  build.  , 

The  legs  rather  short  than  long,  to  avoid  any  legginess, 
and  the  feet  round  and  small  ;  both  well  boned. 

The  tail  strong  at  root,  tapering  to  base,  and  not  of 
great  length . 

The  coat  short,  close  and  dense,  but  fine  and  soft  to 
the  touch. 

The  condition  hard,  firm  and  muscular,  not  fat 
or  coarse,  and  the  general  appearance  graceful  and 
active. 

The  size  should  be  from  ten  to  twelve  pounds  for 
males,  and  from  seven  to  nine  pounds  for  females  ;  a 
little  more  may  be  allowed  to  each  sex,  provided  there  is 
a  general  sense  of  quality  rather  than  coarseness. 

The  colour,  to  be  ideal,  should  be  tabby  all  over, 
except  the  white  blaze  up  face  between  the  eyes,  white 
chest,  belly  and  the  four  feet,  no  spots  to  be  allowed  on 
any  of  the  white  markings,  nor  any  white  on  any  part  of 
the  tabby  markings. 

Such  a  cat  as  described  is  not  as  often  seen  as  may  be 
supposed,  but  is  a  very  pretty  creature. 


SILVER   TABBY  AND   WHITE  — "  LAUREL  SILVER   STAR. 
Winner  many  First  and  other  Prizes.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


To  face  page  192. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT 


193 


STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  SHORT-HAIRED 
TABBY  AND  WHITE  CATS 


Head          .  .        .. 

Ears  ...... 

Eyes  ...... 

Body  and  shape  .          .          . 
Legs  and  feet      . 

Tail 

Coat 

Condition  and  general  appearance 
Size   ...... 

Colour  and  markings  . 


10  Points 

5 
10 

10 

5 

S 
10 

1S 
10 

20 


Total     100  Points 


CHAPTER    XXV 

THE    TORTOISESHELL    SHORT-HAIRED    CAT 

ONE  marked  peculiarity  of  this  variety  is  the  great  rarity 
of  males  ;  I  should  think  there  is  not  one  male  to  be  met 
with  to  several  hundred  females.  I  have  never  heard 
any  reason  given  for  this  being  so,  but  I  have  not  the 
slightest  doubt  about  it.  In  all  my  show  experiences  I 
do  not  think  I  have  seen  a  dozen  Tortoiseshell  male 
cats,  and  never  seen  more  than  three  at  any  one  show. 

My  friend,  the  late  Mr  Herbert  Young,  of  Harrogate, 
was  very  sanguine  he  had  discovered  a  plan  for  breeding 
the  males  as  well  as  females  of  this  colour,  but  if  so  he 
died  without  divulging  the  secret,  as  I  remember  only  one 
appearing  from  his  cattery. 

The  black  red  and  yellow  making  up  the  colour,  of 
which,  as  a  rule,  the  black  is  the  most  prominent,  give 
rather  a  sombre  appearance  to  them,  and  they  are  not 
admired  much  by  the  general  public. 

As  I  have  said  in  another  place  in  these  sketches,  the 
females  are  usually  mated  with  Red  Tabby  males,  and 
I  have  found  excellent  Blacks,  Whites  and  Red  Tabbies 
in  some  of  these  litters. 

Of  course,  it  is  important  there  should  be  no  Tabby 

194 


TORTOISESHELL,   MALE— "  CH.    BALLOCHMYLE  SAMSON." 
Seven  Championships  ;  numerous  First  Prizes,  Crystal  Palace  and  elsewhere. 
Owner,  Lady  Alexander. 


TORTOISESHELL,   FEMALE— "  BALLOCHMYLE  BOUNTIFUL  BERTIE." 

Two  Firsts,  Crystal  Palace;  1st  and  Championship,  Brighton,  etc. 

Owner,  Lady  Alexander. 

To  face  page  195. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  195 

markings  mixed  in  with  the  Tortoiseshell,  and  this  is 
where  I  notice  many  of  them  fail,  as  each  colour  should 
be  quite  pure  and  distinct. 

They  are  usually  of  rather  small  size,  but  keen 
vermin  hunters,  and  make  good  mothers.  I  do  not  think 
any  variety  of  domestic  cat  is  possessed  of  more  spirit 
and  courage,  and  they  will  seldom  turn  their  back  to  any 
foe,  when  fairly  roused. 

I  like  them  as  house  or  stable  cats  as  well  as  any.  I 
have  had  some  of  them  about  the  place  for  very  many  years, 
and  found  them  sociable  and  affectionate  and  with  less 
timidity  or  nerves  about  them  than  almost  any  other  variety. 

The  head  should  be  of  moderate  size,  very  round  in 
shape,  with  a  short  face,  and  rather  long  neck  and  narrow 
shoulders. 

The  ears  small,  carried  very  upright  and  open,  with 
general  idea  of  alertness. 

The  eyes  brilliant,  full  and  large,  round  in  shape  and 
orange  yellow  in  colour  ;  very  intelligent  expression. 

The  legs  rather  long  than  short  or  cloddy,  fine  in 
bone,  and  the  feet  round  and  small. 

The  body  long  and  narrow,  with  sloping  shoulders, 
more  muscle  than  fat  everywhere. 

The  tail  should  be  rather  long,  not  thin  or  lanky,  as 
they  often  are,  and  marked  with  the  three  colours. 

The  coat  should  be  short,  fine  and  shiny,  and  very 
sleek  and  smooth  to  the  touch. 

The  condition  should  be  firm,  hard  and  muscular,  the 
general  appearance  denoting  grace  and  activity. 

The  size  of  males  need  not  be  given,  as  they  are  so 


196 


RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 


seldom  seen,  but  I  should  like  them  up  to  ten  or  twelve 
pounds,  if  possible,  and  females  up  to  eight  or  nine  pounds. 

The  colour,  composed  of  black  red  and  yellow,  in 
patches  all  over  from  the  nose  to  tip  of  tail,  and  the 
more  distinct  each  is  the  better. 

The  illustrations  to  this  sketch  are  Lady  Alexander's 
Champions  Ballochmyle  Samson  and  Ballochmyle  Bounti- 
ful Bertie,  probably  the  best  specimens  living  of  this  variety. 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  SHORT-HAIRED 
TORTOISESHELL  CATS 


Head  .         .         . 

Ears '", 

Eyes  ... 

Legs  and  feet      .          .          . 

Body          .         .  '••       '. 

Tail  .... 

Coat  . 

Condition  and  general  appearance 

Size   .          .         .         •  , 

Colour  .         .         .        . , 


io  Points 


5 

» 

10 

„ 

5 

„ 

IO 

„ 

5 

„ 

5 

3) 

IS 

JJ 

s 

„ 

3° 

» 

Total     100  Points 


THE  TORTOISESHELL  AND  WHITE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT 

In  the  eyes  of  the  general  public  this  variety  is  much 
prettier  than  the  last,  and  I  have  owned  and  seen  many 
I  have  greatly  admired.  For  some  years  I  had  a  male  of 
this  variety,  which  took  a  great  many  prizes,  and  they 


TORTOISESHELL   AND    WHITE — "  CH.    KALLOCHM YLK   OTTER." 

Nine  Championships,  many  First  Prizes,  Cry.^tal  Palace,  etc. 

Owner,  Lady  Alexander. 


TORTOISESHELL  AND   WHITE,   MALE — "  LAUREL   LOTHAIR." 
Winner  many  Prizes  Crystal  Palace,  Brighton,  etc.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 
To  face  page  196. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  197 

are  only  second  in  rarity  to  the  Tortoiseshell  males.  I 
hope  to  give  his  portrait  as  one  of  the  illustrations  to  this 
sketch,  and  a  champion  of  Lady  Alexander's  as  the  other. 

To  be  ideally  marked,  the  tortoiseshell  should  be  the 
predominant  feature,  but  in  very  many  we  see  at  the 
shows  and  elsewhere,  there  is  a  great  deal  too  much 
white,  which  takes  off  from  the  rich  appearance  of  the 
colouring,  and  seems  to  diminish  the  size. 

I  have  found  them  quite  equal  to  the  Tortoiseshells 
as  vermin  killers  and  mothers,  and  very  docile  and 
gentle  in  their  manners.  I  think  they  are  more  inclined  to 
attach  themselves  to  their  owners  than  most  varieties,  and 
very  playful  and  fond  of  fun  long  after  they  are  adults. 

Several  that  I  have  had  have  been  most  friendly  with 
some  of  my  dogs,  and  delighted  to  have  a  thorough  romp 
on  the  lawn  with  them,  always  taking  to  the  trees  when 
the  play  became  too  fast  and  furious  for  them. 

The  head  should  be  small,  round,  and  with  a  short 
face,  but  not  too  pinched  in  muzzle. 

The  ears  rather  large  and  open,  with  erect  carriage. 

The  eyes  wide  open,  round,  lustrous  and  sharp- 
looking,  orange  yellow  in  colour. 

The  legs  long,  without  giving  a  leggy  appearance, 
and  not  strong  in  bone  ;  the  feet  small  and  round  shaped. 

The  body  and  neck  inclined  to  be  long,  shoulders  and 
quarters  rather  narrow,  and  somewhat  flat  at  sides. 

The  tail  should  be  long,  moderately  thick  at  base 
and  tapering  to  the  point,  not  mean-looking. 

The  coat  should  be  glossy,  fine  and-  short,  lying 
closely  to  the  skin. 


198  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

The  condition  should  be  muscular,  hard  and  firm, 
with  an  active,  graceful  general  appearance. 

The  size  might  average  eight  pounds  for  females, 
though  many  are  seen  much  less — males,  as  much  more 
as  obtainable  without  fat  or  coarseness. 

The  colour  should  be  tortoiseshell  all  over,  except 
white  blaze  up  face,  on  each  of  the  four  feet,  the  chest 
and  belly  ;  the  more  distinct  and  pure  the  patches  of 
yellow  black  and  red  are,  the  better  the  specimen  will 
be  in  regard  to  colour,  and  no  Tabby  markings  should 
appear  mixed  with  any  of  the  colours,  but  they  are  often 
seen  in  the  red  or  yellow  patches,  denoting  a  Tabby 
somewhere  in  the  pedigree. 


STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  TORTOISESHELL 
AND  WHITE  SHORT-HAIRED  CATS 

Head  .          .         .         ...  .10  Points 

Ears  .         .         .      ;.".(r    ,\:        .  5       „ 

Eyes  .         .         .  .         .  ^  .  r  .  10      „ 

Legs  and  feet      .         .         .        V  •       .  •  "     5 

Body .         .         .         .         .  ...     ...  .  .  .10 

Tail  .      -".  ;      .         ,        ,  ;  .","  .  ,       5 

Coat  .         .         .         .         ...  ,     :.  ;  .  .       5 

Condition  and  general  appearance  .  .15 

Size    .       ;  ..         .          .         <  ,  .   •"  •  ••[,    5 

Colour  and  uniformity  in  markings  . .  .     30       „ 


Total     100  Points 


TABBY   MANX— "CH.    BONHAKI." 
Winner  of  numerous  Prizes.     Owner,  Mrs  II.  C.  Brooke. 


WHITE   MANX — "LORD   LUKE." 
1st,  Alexandra  Palace,  etc.,  etc.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


To  face  page  198. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  199 

THE  MANX  CAT 

This  variety,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge,  informa- 
tion and  belief,  does  not  include  any  long-haired  specimens, 
and,  as  far  as  I  have  heard  or  seen,  does  not  comprise  all  the 
colours  usually  associated  with  other  short-haired  varieties. 

I  have  reason  to  believe  white  specimens  are  very 
seldom  seen,  and  the  first  I  ever  had  of  the  variety  was 
of  that  colour.  I  will  give  his  portrait  to  illustrate 
this  sketch,  as  he  was  one  of  the  most  typical  specimens 
I  have  seen,  and  winner  of  many  prizes  while  in 
my  possession,  and  also  a  portrait  of  Mrs  H.  C. 
Brooke's  "  Champion." 

I  may  at  once  say  that  it  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that 
any  cat  that  had  lost  its  tail  might  be  taken  for  a  "  Manx," 
or  would  have  any  chance  of  notice  at  a  show,  if  the 
judge  understood  the  variety,  as  the  make  of  the  animal, 
its  movements  and  its  general  character  are  all  distinctive. 

I  have  proved  the  truth  of  the  late  Mr  Herbert 
Young's  assertion  as  to  half-bred  Manx  Cats  having 
tail-less  progeny,  and  can  go  a  step  further,  as,  during  the 
time  I  kept  the  variety,  I  found  some  of  the  females  of 
other  short-haired  breeds  were  liable  to  produce  kittens 
with  short,  and,  on  some  occasions,  no  tails.  This  was 
really  the  reason  why  I  determined  to  give  up  keeping 
Manx,  although  the  only  male  of  the  variety  in  my 
possession  was  not  allowed  to  be  at  large,  or  mated 
with  any  but  his  own  species. 

Any  of  my  readers  who  may  desire  to  take  up  the 
variety,  which  is  quaint  and  interesting — and  I  found  all 


200  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

the  specimens  which  have  come  under  my  notice  docile, 
good-tempered  and  sociable — if  they  take  my  advice,  will 
either  keep  no  other  variety  of  cat,  long  or  short-haired, 
or  quite  isolated  and  out  of  sight  of  the  Manx,  or  they  may 
suffer  in  the  same  way  as  I  did. 

At  comparatively  few  shows  are  classes  provided  for 
this  variety,  which  has  therefore  usually  to  be  entered  in 
the  "  Any  Other  Variety  Short  Hair,"  where  it  does  not 
stand  much  chance  of  getting  into  the  first  three,  unless 
exceptionally  good  in  size  and  markings. 

It  is  curious  that  the  colours  in  this  variety  seem 
somewhat  limited,  as  although  I  have  seen  a  great  many 
of  them,  I  never  remember  to  have  seen  any  but  tortoise- 
shell,  and  very  few  of  that  shade ;  white,  and  that  only 
my  own  male  ;  black,  perhaps  the  most  numerous  of  all  as 
far  as  my  experience  goes  ;  black  and  white,  and  grey- 
striped  Tabby.  I  am  not  prepared  to  say  that  no  others 
are  ever  seen,  but  that  I  do  not  remember  seeing  them 
either  in  Manx  or  Any  Other  Variety  classes. 

Many  of  those  shown  fail  in  their  tails,  some  having 
an  inch  or  more,  whereas  the  tail  proper  should  be  absent 
and  represented  by  only  a  tuft  of  hair  at  the  extremity  of 
the  spine,  though  some,  I  believe,  pure  bred  have  had  a 
tiny  thin  apology  for  a  tail  without  bone. 

I  may  perhaps  mention  that  I  have  bred  a  great  many 
of  the  Old  English  sheep  dogs,  which  I  am  glad  to  see 
have  now  become  so  deservedly  popular,  and  have  had 
litters  with  nearly  the  whole  of  them  born  without  a 
particle  of  tail,  proving  that  although  some  of  their 
ancestors  (as  I  happen  to  know  has  been  done  with  even 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  201 

some  of  those  that  have  taken  the  highest  honours  at  shows 
as  genuine  Old  English  sheep  dogs)  had  their  tails  docked, 
many  are  born  entirely  without  those  useful  appendages. 

My  ideas  about  the  Manx  Cat  are  as  follows  : — 

The  head  should  be  of  moderate  size,  round,  not 
very  short  in  face,  but  long  in  neck,  with  sloping  shoulders, 
and  rather  wide  and  deep  in  chest. 

The  ears  very  erect  and  open  to  the  front,  large 
rather  than  small,  with  rounded  tips. 

The  eyes  large,  round,  rather  staring  and  prominent, 
coloured  according  to  the  body  colour. 

The  fore  legs  straight,  well  boned  and  strong ;  and 
the  hind  legs  much  longer,  very  well  boned  and  muscular, 
with  powerful  hind  quarters  ;  in  action  the  Manx  seems 
to  hop,  or  jump  along,  more  with  the  movements  associ- 
ated with  a  hare  than  of  a  cat,  and  must  be  seen  to  be 
properly  appreciated. 

The  body  should  be  well  knit,  rather  lengthy,  inclined 
to  be  flat-sided,  not,  as  a  rule,  very  bulky,  but  strong. 

The  tail  should  be  absent,  but,  as  I  have  said,  there  is 
sometimes  a  little  gristly  thin  ending  to  the  spine,  in  a 
tuft  of  hair,  where  the  tail  would  be  in  other  varieties. 

The  coat  should  be  short,  fine  and  close  lying  to  the 
skin,  soft  and  smooth  to  the  touch,  perhaps  a  little  more 
abundant  on  the  shoulders,  chest  and  hind  quarters  than  any- 
where else,  but  not  so  as  to  take  away  its  sleek  appearance. 

The  condition  should  be  firm,  hard  and  muscular, 
with  no  superfluous  fat  about  it  ;  and  the  general  appear- 
ance that  of  an  alert,  active  animal  of  much  power  and 
energetic  character. 


202  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

The  size  of  males  from  eight  to  ten  pounds,  and  of 
females  from  six  to  eight  pounds.  I  have  rarely  seen 
these  weights  exceeded,  and  have  seen  many  that  would 
come  under  them. 

Colour  is,  of  course,  a  matter  of  taste.  I  think  white 
is  the  least  often  seen  ;  some  of  the  largest  specimens  I 
have  met  with  have  been  black,  and  the  smallest  black 
and  white.  I  have  seen  many  good  tabbies  and  one  or 
more  tortoiseshell.  In  all  of  these  the  markings  and 
eyes  should  follow  the  rules  laid  down  for  similar  colours 
in  Other  Varieties  of  Short-haired  Cats. 

I  am  not  aware  that  any  standard  has  ever  been  given 
for  judging  this  variety,  but  my  views  about  it  are  as 
follows  : — 

STANDARD   OF   EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
THE  MANX  CAT 

Head  and  neck    .         .          .  .  .  .10  Points 

Ears  .  .  .  5       „ 

Eyes  .  .      10      „ 

Fore  legs  and  feet         .  .  .  5       „ 

Hind  legs  and  feet       .         .  .  .  1 5       „ 

Body  and  shape  .          .          .  .  .  .10,, 

Tail,  or  rather  its  absence     .  .  .  .      15       ,, 

Condition  and  general  appearance  .  .10      „ 

Coat  .       ,  .         .         .       ,  .  .  .  .       5      „ 

Size   .  .         JJ6    ' '         '  5       » 

Colour  .  10      „ 


Total      100  Points 


ABYSSINIAN — "  QUEEN   JUMBO." 
1st,  Crystal  Palace  ;  1st,  Brighton,  etc.     Owner,  Mrs  George  Herring. 


To  face  page  203. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  203 

THE  SHORT-HAIRED  ABYSSINIAN  CAT 

I  am  not  sure  if  this  is  not  absolutely  the  least  fre- 
quently seen  of  any  variety  of  domesticated  cat  in  this 
country,  which  leads  me  to  think  it  has  never  become 
popular,  either  with  fanciers  or  the  public. 

I  have  not  heard  its  title  to  the  name  Abyssinian 
disputed,  and  have  every  reason  to  believe  the  first  speci- 
mens which  appeared  were  imported  from  that  distant 
land.  In  fact,  it  is  asserted  by  some  who  profess  to  have 
gone  deeply  into  the  subject,  that  this  is  the  same  variety 
as  was  held  in  such  reverence  by  the  Egyptians  in  past 
ages,  and  of  which  shiploads  of  their  mummies,  or  rather 
embalmed  bodies,  were  discovered  a  few  years  since,  and 
created  a  profound  sensation  in  scientific  circles. 

If  this  idea  proves  to  be  correct  it  will  considerably 
alter  the  position  of  the  variety  in  the  eyes  of  the  breeders 
and  fanciers  of  cats,  pointing  it  out  as  lineal  descendant 
of  the  ancestors  of  the  short-haired  cats  of  Europe,  which, 
as  I  have  said  in  another  place  in  these  sketches,  are  sup- 
posed, with  the  single  exception  of  the  native  Wild  Cat, 
to  owe  their  origin  to  the  short-haired  cats  imported  from 
Egypt. 

Another  name  by  which  this  variety  is  sometimes 
called  is  the  Bunny  Cat,  given  I  think  on  account  of  the 
ticked  grey  colour  of  the  coat,  which  has  much  the  same 
aspect  as  that  of  the  wild  rabbit. 

As  far  as  I  have  seen  of  both  varieties,  there  is  no 
other  of  the  Short  Hairs  domesticated  in  this  country, 
which  is  so  much  like  our  native  Wild  Cat,  as  this,  except 


204  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

that  there  is  almost  entire  absence  of  even  the  slight  Tabby 
markings,  which  appear  on  specimens  of  the  latter,  and  it 
is  not  so  short  and  thick  in  shape  of  body  and  tail,  the 
latter  with  the  rings  very  faintly  indicated  upon  it,  which 
are  rather  a  feature  in  the  native  Wild  Cat. 

Contrary  to  the  usual  supposition  that  the  progeny 
of  imported  animals  are  larger  than  their  parents,  it  is 
asserted  by  breeders  that  those  which  have  undoubtedly 
come  to  this  country  from  Abyssinia  are  larger  and  finer 
specimens  than  those  born  here,  and  more  free  from  any 
markings,  except  the  dark  trace  down  back  and  the  tick- 
ings peculiar  to  the  species. 

The  head  should  be  fairly  large,  round,  not  very  short, 
but  full  in  face,  with  dark  red  nose,  shortish,  strong  neck, 
deep  chest,  and  shoulders  rather  wide. 

The  ears  moderately  small,  dark  brown  in  colour, 
laced  and  tipped  with  black,  carried  very  erect. 

The  eyes  round  and  full,  deep  yellow,  with  a  glint  of 
green  in  them,  and  intelligent  in  expression. 

The  legs  fairly  long  and  well  boned,  with  small  round 
feet. 

The  body,  rather  compact  and  cobby,  than  long  ;  well 
rounded  at  sides,  not  tucked-up  looking,  and  with  strong 
hind  quarters. 

The  tail,  thick  at  base,  tapering  to  the  tip. 

The  coat  very  dense  and  soft,  but  not  long  anywhere. 

The  condition  hard,  firm  and  muscular  ;  general  ap- 
pearance of  an  active,  powerful  animal  of  compact  build. 

The  size  of  males,  eleven  to  thirteen  pounds  ;  of  females, 
eight  to  ten  pounds. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT 


205 


The  colour  deep  brown,  with  black  tickings  all  over, 
with  as  little  other  markings  as  possible,  except  a  black 
line  from  nape  of  neck  to  the  end  of  tail. 

The  illustration  is  a  portrait  of  a  specimen  shown 
some  years  since  by  my  friend  Mrs  George  Herring. 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
THE  ABYSSINIAN  CAT 


Head 

Ears 

Eyes 

Legs  and  feet       . 

Body  and  shape  . 

Coat  ..... 

Condition  and  general  appearance 

Size    ..... 

Colour 

Tail 


.      10  Points 

5      » 
10      „ 
r 

IO         ,, 

•  1S>    » 

•  .    5      » 

.       20         „ 

•  5      » 
Total     100  Points 


THE  SIAMESE  CAT 

Although  some  of  the  varieties  mentioned  in  these 
sketches  are  rare,  and  seldom  seen  except  occasionally  at 
shows,  I  think  that  description  applies  to  none  more 
generally  than  to  the  Siamese. 

I  don't  remember  to  have  ever  seen  one  roaming  at 
large,  and  I  believe  most  people  who  saw  one  would  be 
doubtful  if  it  really  was  a  cat,  as  the  colour  is  so  much  in 


206  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

accord  with  the  ideas  of  a  pug  dog.  Some  I  have  seen 
with  a  short  twisted  tail,  something  like  a  badly-carried 
pug's  tail. 

There  seems  to  be  no  difference  of  opinion  that  this 
variety  is  correctly  named,  the  first  specimens  seen  here 
being  imported  from  Siam,  where  they  are  held  in  much 
esteem,  the  King  of  Siam  being  reputed  to  take  consider- 
able interest  in  keeping  the  breed  pure  ;  so  much  so  that 
it  was  in  the  early  days  of  the  fancy  a  difficult  matter  to 
obtain  specimens,  and  many  of  the  males  were  not  allowed 
to  leave  the  country,  to  be  available  for  breeding  purposes ; 
but  as  a  great  many  have  been  bred  in  the  United 
Kingdom  of  late  years,  I  presume  those  regulations  have 
either  been  relaxed  or  evaded. 

Occasionally  specimens  are  seen  with  coats  of  choco- 
late colour,  but  I  think  the  ordinary  and  most  popular 
shade  is  fawn,  pale  drab,  or  light  silver  grey  ground 
colour,  with  all  the  extremities  as  nearly  black  as  obtain- 
able. 

They  are  said  by  those  best  acquainted  with  them  to 
make  very  interesting  pets,  but  with  more  of  the  ways  of 
dogs  than  cats,  attaching  themselves  warmly  to  their 
owners,  and  liking  to  accompany  them  from  room  to 
room,  or  about  the  garden  or  grounds,  and  will  become 
very  friendly  with  the  dogs  about  the  place,  but  not  so 
sociable  with  cats,  and  well  able  to  take  care  of  themselves 
in  any  differences  of  opinion  with  the  latter. 

They  seem  to  like  an  outdoor  life  and  do  best  in 
places  where  they  can  go  in  and  out  and  do  a  little  hunt- 
ing after  "  fur  and  feather  "  on  their  own  account. 


SIAMESE — "CH.    WANKEE." 
Winner  of  many  Prizes.     Owner,  Mrs  M.  Robinson. 


SIAMESE,    FEMALE — "  CH.    MEO." 

Great  Prize  Winner  at  Leading  Shows.     Owner,  Mrs  Cunlifle  Lee. 
To  face  page  206. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  207 

The  food  which  seems  to  suit  them  is  fresh  fish,  boiled 
with  rice  ;  but  where  this  is  not  available,  they  will  readily 
eat  bread  and  milk,  particularly  if  given  lukewarm,  the 
milk  being  boiled  before  being  mixed  with  the  bread  ; 
they  also  like  the  fragments  of  game  and  chicken  left 
from  the  table. 

Unless  they  have  been  reared  in  the  country,  so  as  to 
become  fairly  hardy,  they  are  rather  delicate,  and  the 
kittens  liable  to  mortality  before  they  grow  up,  but  it  is 
not  wise  to  attempt  to  breed  them  in  the  autumn  or 
winter,  the  best  time  being  about  April  or  May,  so  that 
they  may  have  the  warm  weather  before  them. 

At  first  the  kittens  show  very  little  of  the  character- 
istic markings,  being  nearly  white  when  born,  with  just  a 
shade  of  lacing  on  the  ears,  and  do  not  attain  their  adult 
colours  until  about  twelve  months  old. 

One  of  the  most  fatal  complaints  from  which  they 
suffer,  and  which  carries  off  many  kittens  and  even  adults, 
is  worms,  but  I  should  think  if  taken  in  time  by  adminis- 
tration of  some  form  of  vermifuge,  in  small  doses,  this 
might  be  overcome  ;  it  is  also  a  cause  of  much  trouble 
with  dogs. 

A  friend  of  mine  who  has  had  some  experience  of  the 
variety,  says  they  are  much  in  their  habits  like  other  cats, 
but  that  strangers  notice  a  peculiar  wild  animal  odour 
about  them,  like  I  have  observed  with  the  Russian  Blue 
Short-Hair  Cats,  and  that  most  of  the  kittens  have  a  kink 
in  the  tail,  not  always  in  the  same  place,  being  sometimes 
at  the  end,  at  others  near  the  body  or  in  the  middle. 

The  mothers  are  fond  and  devoted  to  their  young,  and 


208  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

usually  will  have  three  or  four  litters  a  year  if  allowed  to 
do  so,  but  I  should  think  it  better  not  to  exceed  two. 
It  is  said  the  males  take  a  warm  interest  in  the  litters, 
which  is  rarely  the  case  with  other  varieties. 

The  head  should  be  small  rather  than  large,  with  re- 
ceding forehead,  broad  between  the  eyes  but  narrowing 
between  the  ears,  rather  long  in  face  and  somewhat  pinched 
in  muzzle. 

The  ears  rather  large,  wide  and  open  to  the  front, 
nearly  bare  of  hair  inside. 

The  eyes  should  be  a  bright  but  pearly  blue,  placed 
slanting  slightly  downwards  towards  the  nose. 

The  legs  more  short  than  long,  and  the  feet  more  oval 
in  shape  than  is  usual  with  cats. 

The  body  long  but  slightly  made,  not  indicative  of 
much  muscular  power. 

The  tail  rather  long  and  tapering,  often  with  a  kink 
or  small  knot  in  some  part  of  it. 

The  coat  very  short  and  fine,  and  much  like  that  of  a 
pug  dog,  seeming  to  combine  wool  and  hair  in  its  texture. 

The  condition  should  be  firm  and  hard,  without  fat  or 
coarseness  ;  and  the  general  appearance  active  and  grace- 
ful, with  an  air  of  refinement. 

The  size  might  be  set  down  as  ten  pounds  for  males, 
and  about  eight  pounds  for  females. 

The  colour  should  be  uniform  all  over,  a  pale  fawn  or 
drab,  except  the  ears,  muzzle,  legs,  feet  and  tail,  all  of 
which  should  be  as  nearly  black  as  possible.  Although  the 
coat  should  be  very  close  and  smooth,  it  is  never  glossy 
or  shiny,  but  just  the  dull  hue  of  a  pug's  coat. 


MEXICAN    HAIRLESS— "JESUIT." 

(Believed  to  be  the  only  specimen  ever  exhibited  in  England.) 
Owner,  Hon.  Mrs  McLaren  Morrison. 


To  face  page 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT 


209 


STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  THE 
ROYAL  CAT  OF  SIAM 


Head 

Ears  . 

Eyes.         .         .         .         . 

Legs  and  feet      . 
Body  and  shape  . 
Coat ...... 

Condition  and  general  appearance 
Size  ...... 

Colour  and  markings  . 
Tail  . 


io  Points 

5  99 

•  io  „ 

•  5  » 

io  ,, 

•  io  „ 

.        10  „ 
r 

•  30  „ 

.       5  » 
Total     100  Points 


MEXICAN  HAIRLESS  CAT 

Since  ^  writing  the  foregoing  I  have  seen  an 
account  of  the  above-named  variety,  which,  as  far  as 
my  experience  goes,  is  the  most  rare  of  any  species  of 
domesticated  cat.  The  article  appeared  in  Animal 
Life,  to  whom  it  was  supplied  by  my  friend,  Mrs 
H.  C.  Brooke,  of  Welling,  and  from  her  photograph 
the  illustration  to  the  succeeding  article  on  the  Indian 
Cat  has  been  reproduced,  which,  I  am  sure,  will  be 
interesting  to  many  of  my  readers. 

Mrs  Shuick,  of  Abuquerque,  New  Mexico,  describes 
them  as  follows  :  "  These  cats  were  obtained  from  Indians, 
a  few  miles  from  here.  The  old  Jesuit  Fathers  say  they 


210  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

are  the  last  of  the  Aztec  race,  and  known  only  in  New 
Mexico. 

"  They  are  marked  exactly  alike,  with  mouse-coloured 
backs,  the  neck,  stomach  and  legs  a  delicate  flesh  tint ; 
their  bodies  are  always  warm  and  soft. 

"In  the  winter  they  have  a  light  fuzz  on  the  back 
and  ridge  of  tail,  which  falls  off  in  the  warm  weather. 

"  They  stand  the  cold  as  well  as  other  cats,  their  skin 
is  very  loose. 

<c  Nellie,  the  female,  has  a  very  small  head,  large 
amber  eyes,  and  long  whiskers  and  eyebrows ;  her 
voice  now  is  a  good  baritone,  when  young  it  sounded 
exactly  like  a  child's. 

"  Nellie  weighs  about  eight  pounds,  and  Dick  ten 
pounds. 

"  Dick  was  a  very  powerful  cat,  and  could  whip  any  dog 
alone  ;  his  courage,  no  doubt,  was  the  cause  of  his  death. 

"  He  was  a  sly  rascal,  and  would  steal  out,  and  one 
night  he  got  out  and  several  dogs  killed  him. 

c<  His  loss  was  very  great,  and  I  may  never  replace  him. 
The  Chicago  Cat  Club  valued  him  at  1000  dollars. 

u  I  have  sent  all  over  the  country  and  endeavoured  to 
get  a  male  for  Nellie,  but  I  fear  the  breed  is  extinct." 

I  believe  the  above-named  and  following  varieties  of 
cats  have  not  even  been  mentioned  or  illustrated  in  any 
previous  work  on  domestic  cats,  nor  do  I  remember 
seeing  more  than  one  specimen  of  the  former  exhibited  in 
this  country,  but  I  hope  it  may  prove  they  are  not  quite 
extinct,  as  they  are  different  from  any  other  variety 
with  which  the  writer  is  acquainted,  and  so  rare  as 


INDIAN — "INDISCHER   FURS1Y' 
Owner,  Mrs  H.  C.  Brooke. 


To  face  page  ill. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  211 

to    be  exceedingly  valuable  to   all  students    of    natural 
history,  irrespective  of  their  interest  to  cat  lovers. 

The  illustration  is  a  portrait  of  one  belonging  to  the 
Hon.  Mrs  McLaren  Morrison,  the  only  specimen  I  have 
seen  shown  in  this  country. 


THE  INDIAN  CAT 

This  is  another  cat  very  rarely  seen  in  Europe,  but 
I  think  the  following  short  account  of  it,  and  the 
accompanying  illustration,  may  be  interesting  to  my 
readers.  For  both  I  am  indebted  to  my  friend,  Mrs 
H.  C.  Brooke,  who  is  well  known  for  the  interest  she 
takes  in  animals  not  usually  kept  as  pets. 

Some  of  the  varieties  of  the  domestic  cat  occasion- 
ally seen  in  India,  are  apparently  derived  from  crosses 
with  some  of  the  smaller  wild  breeds  found  in  that 
country. 

From  which  particular  variety  the  Indian  cat  is 
derived,  I  have  no  positive  information. 

The  colour  of  the  upper  parts  of  the  body  is  a  pale 
chestnut  red,  passing  through  grades  of  yellowish  shades 
to  almost  white  on  the  under  parts  of  the  body. 

The  forehead  is  puckered  or  wrinkled  ;  the  head 
somewhat  long,  pointed  and  narrow  in  shape  ;  with 
legs  long  and  fine  in  bone  ;  and  the  tail  unusually  long 
and  tapering,  and  carried  with  a  curve. 

The  coat  is  thick,  but  quite  short ;  its  ears  are  large 
but  thin,  with  rather  a  forward  carriage,  very  erect. 


212  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

The  eyes  are  not  particularly  large,  of  rich  amber 
colour,  and  very  brilliant  in  expression. 

The  colour  on  the  sides  is  freely  ticked  or  pencilled, 
but  on  the  legs  and  thighs  appear  slightly-marked  stripes, 
and  on  the  tail  are  rings  of  the  same  colour. 

In  tone  of  voice  it  is  more  like  the  Siamese  than  any 
other  cat  with  which  we  are  familiar,  and  it  is  found  to 
vary  in  this  respect  at  different  times. 

Except  in  point  of  colour,  it  is  more  like  what  we 
know  as  the  Abyssinian  or  Bunny  Cat  than  any  other 
variety  seen  at  exhibitions  in  this  country,  but  there  is 
no  reason  to  suppose  it  is  a  variety  of  the  same  animal, 
being  thought  to  be  a  native  product  of  India,  and  not 
found  in  any  other  country. 


CHAPTER   XXVI 

THE    WILD    CAT 

ALTHOUGH  seldom  seen  amongst  exhibition  cats,  and 
even  then  always  entered  in  the  class  for  "Any 
Other  Variety  of  Short-haired  Cat,"  I  think  some  of 
my  readers  may  like  to  have  a  few  lines  about  the  above- 
named,  which  is  a  native  of  the  forests  of  Europe,  and 
still  to  be  found  in  its  original  state  in  some  of  the 
northern  counties  of  Britain. 

It  is  much  larger  than  the  common  domestic  varieties, 
the  head  is  larger  and  flatter  in  shape,  the  limbs  are  more 
powerful,  and  the  tail  is  a  good  deal  shorter  and  thicker, 
with  less  tapering  to  the  extremity,  ending  abruptly,  as 
if  the  last  joint  or  so  had  been  removed. 

In  colour  it  is  usually  of  a  greyish  brown,  with  dusky 
streaked  markings  merging  into  black,  one  or  more 
black  stripes  or  bands  down  the  back  from  the  neck, 
and  stripes  of  similar  shade  down  the  sides,  but  not 
disposed  as  we  see  in  the  domestic  Tabbies. 

The  tip  of  the  tail  is  usually  black,  and  all  the  rest  of  it 
is  marked  with  alternate  rings  of  the  body  colour  and  black. 

The  lips,  nose  and  pads  of  the  feet  are  all  dark 
coloured. 

213 


2i4  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

I  think  they  are  now  more  often  seen  in  the 
wildest  and  most  retired  parts  of  the  Highlands  of 
Scotland  than  anywhere  else.  In  other  parts  of  Europe 
the  colour  of  the  Wild  Cat  varies  to  a  deep  tawny,  with 
brown  or  deep  black  streaks  ;  or  sometimes  a  pale  grey, 
with  black  and  brown  markings. 

The  Wild  Cat  is  quite  the  Ishmael  of  the  feline 
race,  and  all  the  specimens  which  have  come  under 
my  notice  at  shows,  or  in  the  hands  of  collectors  of 
natural  history  subjects,  have  been  more  remarkable  for 
their  ferocity  than  their  beauty. 

It  is  chiefly  to  be  found  in  very  retired  places  amongst 
woods,  and  especially  where  stunted  underwood  grows, 
in  and  about  rocks  and  crags,  in  the  caves  and  crevices 
of  which  it  lives  and  rears  its  young,  producing  four  or 
five  in  a  litter. 

Of  course  it  is  pre-eminently  a  beast  of  prey,  and 
lives  upon  birds,  leverets,  rabbits,  and  such  like  small 
game  as  it  can  lay  its  claws  upon,  and  has  been 
known  to  kill  lambs,  kids  and  young  fawns,  so  that 
one  of  its  most  deadly  enemies  is  the  gamekeeper, 
who  will  tell  you,  as  poor  Artemus  Ward  said  of  the 
North  American  Indian,  "  It  is  downright  poison 
wherever  you  find  him." 

Some  naturalists  call  it  the  British  Tiger,  and  it  has 
certainly  all  the  characteristics  of  that  animal,  both  in  form 
and  habits,  but,  being  so  much  smaller  in  size,  is  not 
capable  of  doing  so  much  mischief. 

Although  numerous  instances  have  occurred  of 
domestic  cats  escaping  to  the  woods,  and  taking  up 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  215 

a  wild  life  there,  and  even  breeding  with  the  native 
Wild  Cats,  I  think  it  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  they  are 
the  same  animal  only  in  a  civilised  form.  I  believe 
the  ancestors  of  our  short-haired  cats  came  from 
Northern  Africa,  probably  Egypt,  where  we  know 
the  cat  Felis  Maniculata  was  held  in  high  reverence, 
and  scores  of  the  mummies  of  embalmed  cats  have 
been  brought  over  here  from  that  interesting  country, 
and  evidently  of  very  great  age. 

The  European  variety  of  Wild  Cat,  Felis  Catus,  is 
said  to  have  never  been  found  there,  and  it  is  unreason- 
able to  suppose  that  it  would  have  produced  the  Egyptian 
Cat  of  such  an  early  period  of  the  world's  history. 

In  the  early  times  of  British  history  domestic  cats 
were  certainly  extremely  rare  and  highly  valued. 

In  the  tenth  century,  about  A.D.  948,  Hoel  or 
Howel,  the  great  King  of  Wales,  fixed  the  price  of  a 
blind  kitten  at  one  penny ;  and  when  it  could  see, 
and  proof  be  given  of  its  having  caught  a  mouse, 
the  price  was  doubled  to  twopence,  and  after  it 
had  established  its  reputation  as  a  mouser  the  value 
was  again  doubled  to  fourpence,  which  represented  a 
good  deal  in  those  times. 

We  are  told,  too,  that  anyone  who  destroyed  or 
stole  the  cat  which  guarded  the  Prince's  granary  or 
store-house  for  grain,  was  liable  by  law  to  a  fine  of  a 
milch  ewe,  her  fleece  and  lamb  ;  or  to  deliver  to  the 
aggrieved  owner  as  much  corn  as  would  reach  to 
the  tip  of  a  cat's  tail  when  held  up  by  that  organ, 
with  the  point  of  the  nose  touching  the  ground. 


216  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

Wild  Cats  are  sometimes  taken  in  traps,  but,  perhaps, 
more  often  by  shooting,  in  the  latter  mode  it  is  dangerous 
to  merely  wound  them,  for  they  have  been  frequently 
known  to  attack  the  person  who  injured  them,  and  their 
strength  and  courage  are  so  great  as  to  render  them 
rather  formidable  antagonists. 

At  a  village  called  Bainborough,  situated  between 
Bainsley  and  Doncaster,  in  Yorkshire,  there  is  a  tradition 
of  a  serious  conflict  which  once  took  place  between  a  man 
and  a  Wild  Cat.  The  inhabitants  relate  that  the  fight 
commenced  in  an  adjoining  wood,  and  was  continued  from 
hence  up  to  the  very  porch  of  the  village  church,  where 
it  is  said  to  have  ended  fatally  to  both  combatants,  for 
each  died  of  the  wounds  received. 

A  rude  painting  in  the  church  commemorates  the 
event,  and  the  natives  of  the  place  profess  to  show  marks 
of  blood  stains  on  the  stones  in  the  church  porch,  which 
no  amount  of  washing  has  been  able  to  remove. 

I  should  have  said  that  another  argument  against  the 
idea  that  the  Wild  Cat  is  the  original  of  our  Felis 
Domestica,  is  that,  at  that  period  when  the  former  were 
most  plentiful,  and  to  be  met  with  in  most  of  their  likely 
haunts,  the  present  variety  of  domestic  cat  was  almost 
unknown  in  this  country,  and  was  evidently  an  animal  of 
foreign  importation,  and,  as  I  have  before  stated,  so 
highly  estemed  for  its  vermin-destroying  qualities  as  to 
form  the  subject  of  royal  statutes  for  its  protection  and 
preservation. 

That   there   are  hundreds,  if  not  thousands,    of  cats 
living  in  a  state  of  nature  in  the  woods  and  dense  parts 


BRITISH   WILD   CAT. 
Exhibited  Crystal  Palace.     Owner,  late  Lord  Lilford. 


To  face  page  217. 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  217 

of  the  forests  of  Great  Britain  (but,  strange  to  say,  none 
are  related  to  have  ever  been  found  in  Ireland  corre- 
sponding to  what  we  look  upon  as  the  Wild  Cat,  Felis 
Syhestris,  or  Cafus),  I  have  not  the  slightest  doubt,  as  I 
have  seen  them  scores  of  times ;  although  some,  or 
perhaps  many  of  them,  may  have  mated  with  the  real 
Wild  Cats,  and  so  produced  hybrids,  in  some  measure 
resembling  the  original  variety. 

I  think  the  domestic  cats  so  well  known  to  us,  did  not 
originate  from  the  Wild  Cat,  and  that  the  two  varieties 
are  quite  distinct,  and  where  they  are  seen  together  the 
points  of  difference  would  at  once  be  apparent. 

My  friend,  Harrison  Weir,  F.R.H.S.,  perhaps  the 
highest  living  authority  on  the  subject,  and  whose  charm- 
ing book  on  cats  will  be  well  known  to  most  of  my 
readers,  writes  a  very  interesting  article  on  the  Wild  Cat, 
and  seems  to  confirm  my  view  that  it  is  anatomically 
different  from  our  domestic  variety. 

In  rather  a  quaint  old  book  of  mine,  with  many  quite 
astounding  illustrations,  called  A  New  and  Complete  System 
of  Natural  History,  published  by  Alexander  Hogg,  as  the 
Act  directs,  at  the  King's  Arms,  N  o.  1 6  Paternoster  Row, 
London,  about  1763,  I  find  it  stated,  that  King 
Richard  II.  granted  a  Royal  Charter  to  the  Abbot  of 
Peterborough,  by  which  he  was  authorised  to  chase  the 
Fox,  Hare,  and  Wild  Cat,  but  whether  this  was  a  general 
license  to  the  genial  ecclesiastic,  to  hunt  those  wily  quad- 
rupeds wheresoever  he  might  meet  with  them,  or  only  in 
certain  specified  districts,  is  not  stated.  In  Daniel's  Rural 
Sports  we  are  told  that  Wild  Cats  were  formerly 


218  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

objects  of  sport  to  huntsmen ;  but  it  was  not  for  diversion 
alone  that  this  animal  was  pursued,  for  the  skin  was  much 
used  by  nuns  in  their  habits,  as  a  fur — one  of  the  reasons 
why  the  skin  of  cats  was  used  on  cloaks  and  other 
garments  for  trimming,  being,  that  it  showed  humility  in 
dress — and  adopted  by  some  priests,  as  well  as  nuns,  when 
wishing  to  impress  others  with  their  deep  sense  of 
humility  in  all  things,  even  to  their  wearing  apparel. 


ANY  OTHER  VARIETIES  OF  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT 

In  the  course  of  the  foregoing  sketches  I  have  been, 
so  to  speak,  cutting  the  ground  from  under  my  own  feet, 
leaving  but  few  materials  for  the  above  subject. 

I  have  endeavoured  to  give  a  separate  notice  of  all 
the  recognised  varieties  of  short-haired  cats  either  usually, 
or  unusually,  met  with  ;  but,  of  course,  in  the  case  of  an 
animal  subject  to  many  variations  of  colour,  specimens 
will  occasionally  be  seen  which  admit  of  no  absolute 
classification,  and  will  therefore,  if  shown  at  all,  have  to 
be  entered  in  a  class  headed  somewhat  after  the  manner 
of  this  sketch. 

I  do  not  mean  what  I  may  call  deformed  specimens, 
with  three  legs,  two  legs,  extra  toes  to  their  feet,  or  such 
like,  which,  although  they  might  be  deemed  worthy  of 
attention  and  curiosity  if  included  in  an  exhibition  of 
freaks  of  nature,  I  consider  are  quite  out  of  place  in  a 
cat  show. 

But  animals  of  some  peculiar  or  unusual  colour,  such 


NARROW   STRIPED   TABBY   AND   WHITE—"  LORD   STANLEY,' 
Winner  many  Prizes,  Crystal  Palace,  etc.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


To  face  page  219, 


THE  SHORT-HAIRED  CAT  219 

as  a  black  cat  with  a  white  head  and  tail ;  a  blue  cat 
with  similar  misplaced  markings  ;  a  yellow  cat  without 
Tabby  markings  or  white  ;  a  smoke  cat  marked  like  a 
black  and  white  ;  a  white  cat  with  one  or  more  spots 
of  Tabby  markings  ;  or  a  cat  all  tortoiseshell  except  a 
white  head  and  tail,  all  of  which,  in  the  general  way, 
would  be  eligible  for  entry  in  this  class. 

I  have  just  mentioned  a  few  of  the  variations,  most  of 
which  I  have  occasionally  seen,  but  of  course  there  are 
many  others  possible  to  arise,  particularly  with  an  animal 
like  the  cat,  which  in  probably  the  majority  of  cases  is 
left  pretty  much  to  its  own  devices  in  the  way  of  mating, 
and  consequently  the  variations  in  the  colour  of  the 
offspring  are  many  and  great. 

In  dealing  with  such  a  mixed  class  as  suggested,  the 
judge  should  endeavour  to  select  for  prizes  those 
coming  nearest  in  formation  and  colour  to  what  the 
variety  it  misrepresented  should  be,  but  these  are 
always  unsatisfactory  classes,  both  for  judges  and 
exhibitors. 

I  have  set  forth  my  views,  and  given  the  result  of  my 
experience,  on  some  of  the  matters  connected  with 
exhibition  cats,  which  I  venture  to  hope  may  be  of 
some  assistance,  at  least  to  novices  amongst  my  fellow 
fanciers  ;  and  if  they  are  the  means  of  calling  up  or 
increasing  interest  in  the  domestic  cat,  of  whose  intelli- 
gence, affection  and  many  good  qualities  I  have  a  high 
opinion,  one  of  my  objects  in  penning  these  sketches 
will  be  attained. 


CHAPTER   XXVII 

A    FEW    WORDS    ON    CATS    IN    GENERAL 

"I  would  give  nothing  for  that  man's  religion  whose  cat  and  dog 
are  not  the  better  for  it." — DR  NORMAN  M*LEOD. 

I  THINK  I  cannot  commence  better  than  by  quoting  the 
words  of  Mark  Twain,  in  his  amusing  book  called 
Puddin -headed  Wilson^  where  he  says  : — 

"  A  home  without  a  cat,  and  a  well-fed,  well-petted, 
and  properly  revered  cat,  may  be  a  perfect  home,  perhaps  ; 
but  how  can  it  prove  its  title  ? " 

The  cat  of  the  household  is  not  so  much  respected  by 
some  as  she  deserves  to  be. 

It  is  true  everyone  admits  she  is  useful  for  killing 
mice,  etc.,  and  so  most  people  keep  a  cat,  but  do  not  always 
let  her  have  her  due  regard  in  return. 

Yet  a  cat,  well  cared  for,  is  a  very  affectionate, 
pleasant  member  of  the  household  brigade,  and  possessed 
of  far  more  intelligence  and  sagacity  than  usually  falls 
to  her  credit,  besides  often  being  an  ornament  and  pleasing 
addition  to  the  fireside,  as  we  are  so  fond  of  saying,  "  quite 
English,  you  know." 

Many  persons  make  the  cruel  mistake  of  supposing 
that  a  cat  will  be  a  keener  and  better  mouser  if  not 

220 


A  FEW  WORDS  ON  CATS  IN  GENERAL   221 

sufficiently  fed  in  other  ways,  but  the  contrary  is  the 
case,  as  I  have  abundantly  proved  by  experience. 

Those  cats  that  are  best  fed  and  considered  in  their 
comforts  make  the  best  vermin  hunters  ;  while  those 
starved,  or  half  fed,  have  not  the  spirits  or  activity  to 
trouble  about  mousing,  any  more  than  human  beings 
would,  in  like  circumstances,  take  much  interest  in  any 
kind  of  sport. 

Cats  should  be  well  and  regularly  fed,  like  other 
pet  animals,  and  always  have  a  pan  of  clean  water  within 
reach,  they  will  then  have  less  craving  after  milk,  and  many 
will  take  water  in  preference. 

As  regards  food,  some  like  bread  and  milk,  not  wet 
but  squeezed  tolerably  dry,  with  some  milk,  which  is  better 
if  first  boiled,  poured  over  it. 

Most  cats  and  dogs  are  fond  of  vegetables,  such  as 
potatoes  and  cabbage,  and  which  are  good  for  their  health 
(as  well  as  access  to  grass,  which  they  take  medicinally), 
mixed  with  any  scraps  and  gravy  from  the  table. 
Occasionally  fish  heads  and  other  fish  scraps  boiled  with 
or  without  rice,  and  broken  up  into  pieces  of  suitable  size 
with  some  of  the  liquor  in  which  they  have  been  boiled, 
will  make  a  nice  change  and  be  much  relished. 

Many  cats  are  fond  of  a  little  oatmeal  porridge  some- 
times, particularly  in  the  colder  months  of  the  year,  as 
it  is  rather  heating  in  its  nature  ;  they  will  enjoy  a  bone  to 
pick,  but  game  and  chicken  bones  should  not  be  given, 
unless  the  larger  ones,  as  there  is  a  danger  of 
any  small  pieces  or  splinters  causing  internal  injury,  to 
which  the  small  intestines  of  cats  make  them  rather  liable. 


222  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

Of  course  kittens,  when  weaned,  should  be  fed  at  least 
three  or  four  times  a  day  ;  porridge,  bread  and  milk,  a 
little  finely-minced  meat.  Ridge's  food  made  as  for  children, 
are  all  good  materials,  changed  as  the  animals  are  found 
to  get  tired  of  any  one  kind. 

Milk  should  always  be  boiled,  whether  given  alone  or 
mixed  with  other  things,  as  otherwise  it  is  thought  liable 
to  cause  worms,  and  they  are  very  troublesome,  and 
probably  bring  about  the  deaths  of  more  kittens  and 
puppies  than  any  other  cause. 

If  a  number  of  cats  are  kept  it  is  best  to  have  a 
room,  or  building,  entirely  for  their  occupation,  and  if  an 
outside  run  can  be  provided,  wired  in  and  protected  at 
the  top  from  the  weather,  it  will  be  all  the  better  for  the 
health  of  the  inmates,  which  can  be  let  out  there  alone,  or 
not,  as  their  sexes  and  tempers  will  permit.  If  an  aspect 
can  be  chosen,  the  south-east  is  preferred  to  any  other, 
cats  being  fond  of  a  sunny  situation. 

Means  should  be  provided  for  heating  the  building 
in  severe  weather,  either  by  hot  air  or  water,  or  by  some 
kind  of  stove,  not  enough  to  make  the  place  hot  and 
stufiy,  and  there  should  be  plenty  of  ventilation  round  the 
upper  parts  of  the  building,  but  protected  from  draughts, 
frost  and  damp,  which  are  very  injurious  to  kittens  and 
adults. 

I  have  found  cheese  boxes  make  excellent  sleeping 
places,  and  prefer  oat  straw  to  any  other  material  for 
bedding,  with  some  disinfected  sawdust  sprinkled  on  the 
bottom  of  the  box  beneath  it,  changed  as  often  as 
required. 


A  FEW  WORDS  ON  CATS  IN  GENERAL    223 

A  small  shallow  tin  or  box,  with  dry  ashes,  or 
earth,  should  be  included  in  the  furniture  of  each  pen  ;  if 
this  is  done  regularly  and  the  pens  cleaned  every  day,  no 
disagreeable  odour  will  be  observable,  and  I  have  had 
fifteen  or  twenty  cats  so  kept  in  a  building,  the  floor  of 
which  (tiles  or  stone  for  choice)  was  sprinkled  occasionally 
with  some  of  the  many  disinfectants  now  procurable,  and 
a  stranger  coming  in  could  not  be  aware  there  was 
a  cat  in  the  place.  I  do  not  believe  in  the  indiscriminate 
use  of  disinfectants  in  the  pens,  as  it  is  apt  to  get  into  the 
food  or  drink  ;  and  I  have  seen  many  cases,  at  shows, 
where  cats  have  been  quite  ill  from  its  effects  by  being 
carelessly  used,  thrown  all  over  everything  in  the  pen. 

Cats,  although  naturally  nervous,  timid  animals,  are 
fond  of  notice.  They  do  not  shrink  away  from  those 
who  are  kind  to  them,  and  are  pleased  to  meet  with  their 
friends  wherever  they  are  ;  when  I  have  any  at  shows  they 
often  recognise  me  before  I  come  to  their  pens,  and  are 
not  satisfied  until  they  have  been  made  much  of.  When 
judging  them  I  can  usually  tell  what  sort  of  home  they 
come  from  by  the  way  they  behave,  and  those  are  few  and 
far  between  I  cannot  get  on  good  terms  with  in  a  short 
time  ;  as  cats  and  dogs  too  are  much  like  children,  who 
can  soon  tell  whether  a  stranger  is  interested  in  them  and 
likely  to  be  worth  cultivating  as  an  acquaintance. 

Many  people  have  a  habit  of  turning  their  cats  out  of 
doors  at  night,  this  should  never  be  done  under  any 
circumstances,  summer  or  winter,  even  if  there  are  sheds 
and  outhouses  they  can  creep  into. 

Not  only  does  it  make  your  cat  a  nuisance  to  your 


224  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

neighbours  and  yourself,  but  they  are  naturally  fond  of 
warmth  and  comfort,  and  are  sure  to  suffer  in  their  health 
and  appearance  from  the  exposure. 

A  well-fed,  well-housed  animal,  whether  horse,  dog  or 
cat,  should  look  sleek  and  glossy  in  coat  and  be  a  credit 
to  its  owner,  which  night-prowling  cats  are  not  likely 
to  be. 

There  is  no  doubt  the  long-haired  varieties  are  more 
delicate  and  require  greater  care  and  attention  than  the 
short-haired. 

One  thing  they  are  apt  to  do  which  is  very  injurious  in 
preening  their  coats,  as  all  the  cat  family,  large  and  small, 
are  in  the  constant  habit  of  doing  if  in  good  health,  is  to 
lick  off  with  their  rough  tongues  some  of  the  loose  hair  of 
their  coats,  and  this  often  causes  serious  internal  troubles 
by  forming  into  pellets  and  balls. 

To  guard  against  this  as  much  as  possible,  they  should 
be  brushed  gently  and  regularly  with  an  ordinary  hair 
brush,  with  rather  long  bristles.  I  prefer  cleaning  the 
coats  with  fine  flour,  to  washing,  which  is  not  natural  to 
cats,  and  generally  much  resented  by  them. 

Although  I  remember,  when  I  first  obtained  the  white 
Manx  Cat  mentioned  in  my  sketch  of  that  variety,  he 
took  up  his  residence  for  a  day  or  so  in  one  of  our 
chimneys,  and  was  in  consequence  so  much  the  colour  of 
a  sweep  that  we  were  obliged  to  wash  him,  and  I 
was  surprised  to  find  he  made  much  less  of  the  affair  than 
we  did,  so  that  in  all  probability  it  was  not  his  first 
experience  of  the  process. 

Kittens  should  be  left  six  or  seven  weeks  with  their 


A  FEW  WORDS  ON  CATS  IN  GENERAL    225 

mother  before  being  weaned,  evert  if  they  can  lap  and  feed 
before  that  time,  as  they  will  be  all  the  better  for  the 
warmth  and  care  of  their  mother.  All  should  never  be 
taken  away  at  once  ;  any  which  are  not  wanted  should  be 
drowned  by  being  placed  in  a  bucket  or  pail  of  water, 
and  another  pail  put  into  it  to  keep  them  from  rising, 
which  will  cause  a  speedy  painless  death. 

Keep  up  the  mother  with  good  feeding,  and  rub  her 
teats  gently  two  or  three  times  a  day. 

A  little  fresh  butter  or  vaseline  rubbed  into  the  teats 
will  assist  in  taking  away  the  milk,  which  otherwise  may 
cause  suffering  to  the  cat. 

I  have  had  cats  live  with  me  for  nineteen  or  twenty 
years,  and  they  are  not  naturally  short-lived  animals  when 
well  cared  for. 

I  believe  that,  at  anyrate  in  this  country,  cats  are  now 
more  appreciated  and  of  greater  value  than  they  have  been 
in  the  remembrance  of  anyone  living,  and  I  am  in  hopes 
that  the  detailed  particulars  given  in  these  sketches  may 
be  useful  to  some  of  my  fellow  fanciers,  and  perhaps 
cause  some  of  my  readers  to  take  more  interest  in  an 
animal  with  which  I  have  had  much  to  do,  and  whose  few 
faults  many  are  disposed  to  be  eloquent  upon,  while 
ignoring  the  many  fascinating  qualities  it  possesses. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII 

ANECDOTES    ABOUT    CATS 

DURING  a  long  career  as  an  exhibitor  I  had  many  amusing 
experiences,  one  which  was  not  at  all  amusing  at  the  time 
was  as  follows  : — 

At  one  of  the  London  Cat  Shows  the  promoter  was 
anxious  to  have  a  large  entry,  because  some  persons  who 
were  interested  in  what  was  to  some  extent  a  rival  under- 
taking were  trying  to  prevent  its  being  a  success,  and  as 
I  was  quite  a  "  free  lance/'  not  pledged  to  any  clique  or 
party,  he  wrote  me  that  he  hoped  I  would  make  as  many 
entries  as  possible. 

Accordingly  I  sent  more  than  usual,  some  fifteen  or 
twenty  I  think  —  it  is  long  since  it  happened  and  I 
cannot  be  sure  of  the  number — and  took  a  great  many 
prizes. 

For  some  reason  or  other,  probably  a  dog  show  some- 
where that  I  had  entered  for,  I  had  to  leave  the  show  before 
its  close,  as  it  was  a  two  or  three  days'  affair.  This  was 
not  in  accordance  with  my  usual  custom,  as  I  like  to  see 
all  my  animals  not  only  packed  but  delivered  to  the 
railway  carriers  before  I  leave. 

The  day  after  the  show  I  sent  my  cart  twice  to  our 

226 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  227 

station  but  hearing  nothing  of  the  cats,  wired  to  the 
manager  of  the  show  with  reply  paid. 

Back  came  a  wire  apologising  for  the  delay  and 
saying  : — 

"Your  cats  leaving  by  next  train,  sorry  they  were 
overlooked." 

The  cart  went  to  the  station  and  returned  triumphantly 
with  a  lot  of  boxes  and  baskets. 

I  may  mention  here,  as  it  may  be  a  wrinkle  for  some 
of  my  readers  who  are  exhibitors  of  rabbits,  cats  or 
cavies,  that  I  used  boxes  of  my  own  design  for  sending 
my  stuff  to  shows.  Each  of  these  contained  four  compart- 
ments, about  two  feet  square  each,  with  a  separate  hinged 
lid  to  each,  fastened  by  a  leather  strap  and  buckle  so  that 
any  one  could  be  taken  out  by  itself  at  a  time.  Battens 
of  wood  were  fastened  to  the  bottom  to  keep  it  off  wet 
platforms,  etc.,  and  they  were  impervious  to  rain,  etc. 

There  was  a  strong  handle — like  those  on  trunks  and 
boxes — to  the  lid  of  each  box  to  move  it  about  with.  My 
initials,  and  the  name  of  our  local  station  were  painted 
plainly  in  white  letters  on  a  black  ground  to  show  where 
it  belonged. 

In  the  few  cases  where  I  used  baskets,  these  were 
covered  with  strong  canvas  at  sides  and  top  to  avoid 
draughts,  and  provided  with  open  wickerwork  inner  lids 
to  prevent  an  animal  jumping  out  when  the  basket  was 
opened. 

Of  course  the  boxes  had  holes  about  the  size  of 
a  sixpence  each  bored  all  round  the  edges,  just  under  the 
lids,  to  give  plenty  of  ventilation  but  no  draught,  and  1 


228  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

have  sent  rabbits,  cats  and  cavies  in  this  way  all  over  the 
kingdom  without  any  difficulty. 

To  return  to  my  story,  when  the  boxes  were  opened, 
to  our  intense  astonishment,  there  was  not  one  cat  in  the 
whole  of  them,  the  boxes  were  all  empty. 

At  that  time  I  had  certainly  some  of  the  most 
valuable  cats  in  the  show  world,  comprising  four  or  five 
champions  and  others  fit  for  any  show,  and  was  some- 
what dismayed  at  the  state  of  affairs. 

Before  I  had  decided  whether  I  should  return  to  London 
to  inquire  what  had  become  of  the  missing  cats,  another 
telegram  came  from  the  manager  of  the  show,  saying  : — 

"All  your  cats  safe.  Discovered  the  empty  boxes 
sent  off  in  error.  Sending  them  by  special  messenger  to 
Paddington,  reach  you  to-night." 

So  the  cart  made  another  journey  to  the  station,  and 
this  time  really  brought  the  travellers  with  it,  they  were 
each  packed  in  a  separate  basket,  and  made  a  good 
cartload. 

I  heard  afterwards  that  all  my  boxes  were  stacked 
together,  and  when  the  manager  ordered  them  to  be  sent 
off,  his  deputy  did  not  open  any  of  them ,  but  took  it  for 
granted  the  cats  were  inside,  and  so  the  mistake  arose, 
which  was  found  out  after  the  boxes  were  gone  by  seeing 
a  number  of  cats  still  in  the  pens. 

I  have  had  such  things  occur  with  dogs  more  than 
once  when  I  have  not  been  there  to  see  them  despatched, 
but  I  think  that  was  the  only  thing  of  the  kind  I 
remember  with  cats,  at  anyrate  where  there  were  so 
many  left  behind  at  any  show.  The  manager  and  his 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  229 

deputy  have  often  referred  to  this  incident  and  the 
trouble  it  gave  them. 

My  friend,  Mr  Louis  Wain,  whose  sketches  of  cats 
are  so  well-known,  writes  as  follows  in  Living  Animals  of 
the  World:— 

"  The  black  cat  has  many  of  the  characteristics 
of  the  tortoiseshell,  but  is  essentially  a  town  cat,  and 
is  wont  to  dream  his  life  away  in  shady  corners,  under 
ground  cellars,  in  theatres,  and  in  all  places  where  he 
can,  in  fact,  retire  to  monastic  quiet.  The  Black  Cat 
of  St  Clement  Danes  Church  was  one  of  the  remarkable 
cats  of  London  ;  it  was  his  wont  to  climb  up  to  the  top 
of  the  organ  pipes  and  enjoy  an  occasional  concert  alone. 
A  christening  or  a  wedding  was  his  pride,  and  many 
people  can  vouch  for  a  lucky  wedding  who  had  the  good 
fortune  to  be  patronised  by  the  Black  Cat  of  St  Clement 
Danes,  which  walked  solemnly  down  the  aisle  of  the 
church  in  front  of  the  happy  couples. 

"  My  old  pet,  Peter,  was  a  black  and  white  cat,  and,  like 
most  of  his  kind,  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  cats  for 
intelligence  I  have  ever  known.  A  recital  of  his  accom- 
plishments would,  however,  have  very  few  believers,  a 
fact  I  find  existing  in  regard  to  all  really  intelligent  cats. 
There  are  so  many  cats  of  an  opposite  character,  and 
people  will  rarely  take  more  than  a  momentary  trouble  to 
win  the  finer  nature  of  an  animal  into  existence.  Suffice 
it  to  say,  that  Peter  would  lie  and  die,  sit  up  with 
spectacles  on  his  nose  and  with  a  postcard  between  his 
paws,  a  trick  I  have  taught  many  people's  cats  to  do. 
He  would  also  mew  silent  mews  when  bid,  and  wait  at 


23o  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

the  door  for  my  home-coming.  For  a  long  time,  too,  it 
was  customary  to  hear  weird  footfalls  at  night  outside 
the  bedroom  doors,  and  visitors  to  the  house  were 
a  little  more  superstitious  as  to  their  cause  than  we  were 
ourselves.  We  set  a  watch  upon  the  supposed  ghost,  but 
sudden  opening  of  the  doors  discovered  only  the  mystic 
form  of  Peter  sitting  purring  on  the  stairs. 

"  He  was,  however,  ultimately  caught  in  the  act  of 
lifting  the  corner  of  the  doormat,  and  letting  it  fall  back 
in  its  place,  and  he  had  grown  quite  expert  in  his  method 
of  raising  and  dropping  it  at  regular  intervals,  until  he 
heard  that  his  signals  had  produced  the  required  effect, 
and  the  door  was  opened  to  admit  him.  Watch  your 
own  cat,  and  you  will  see  that  he  will  change  his  sleeping 
quarters  occasionally,  and  if  he  can  find  a  newspaper 
conveniently  placed,  he  will  prefer  it  to  lie  upon  before 
anything,  perhaps  except  a  cane-bottomed  chair,  to  which 
all  cats  are  very  partial.  If  you  keep  a  number  of  cats, 
as  I  do,  you  will  find  them  very  imitative,  and  what  one 
gets  in  the  habit  of  doing  they  will  all  do  in  time.  For 
instance,  one  of  my  cats  took  to  sitting  with  his  front 
paws  inside  my  tall  hat  and  his  body  outside,  and  this  has 
become  a  catty  fashion  in  the  family,  whether  the  object  be 
a  hat,  cap,  bonnet,  small  basket,  box  or  tin." 

I  remember  when  Mr  Harrison  Weir's  charming 
book,  Our  Cats,  came  out  in  1889,  I  was  much  struck 
with  the  account  he  gave  (p.  87)  of  a  cat  belonging  to  a 
granary  at  Sevenoaks,  in  Kent,  where  the  distinguished 
author  then  lived,  catching  two  mice  at  once,  and  I  really 
thought  his  informant  had  "  drawn  the  long  bow." 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  231 

But  some  time  afterwards,  when  I  was  living  at  Laurel 
Bank,  Downend,  Gloucestershire,  on  going  into  the 
stable,  accompanied  by  a  white  and  black  cat,  Magpie, 
whose  portrait  illustrates  my  sketch  of  that  variety  in 
this  book,  before  I  noticed  what  he  was  after,  made 
a  dash  like  lightning,  and  I  saw  mice  flying  in  all 
directions,  and  on  looking  closely  at  Magpie,  who  was 
standing  stock  still  with  his  front  paws  firmly  placed  on 
the  ground,  I  noticed  he  had  part  of  a  mouse  hanging  out 
of  each  side  of  his  mouth  and  one  held  under  each  front  claw. 

So,  as  seeing  is  believing,  I  withdrew  my  doubts  as  to 
the  former  story,  and  the  next  time  I  saw  Mr  Weir  told 
him  of  the  confirmation  it  had  received  with  one  of  my 
own  cat's  doings. 

This  Magpie  was  the  most  inveterate  vermin  killer 
I  ever  saw.  It  was  quite  a  mania  with  him,  he  entirely  freed 
our  premises  from  all  rats  and  mice,  and  afterwards  I  gave 
him  to  an  old  servant  of  ours  who  had  married  a  corn 
dealer,  as  she  told  me  they  were  overrun  with  rats  and 
mice,  and  Magpie  so  distinguished  himself  by  his 
exploits  amongst  them  that  he  was  a  valuable  acquisition, 
and  ended  his  days  as  a  treasured  member  of  the  com- 
munity, finding  ample  opportunity  for  the  display  of  his 
talents. 

An  instance  is  given  by  Smellie  of  a  cat  that  was  in 
the  habit  of  frequenting  a  cupboard,  the  door  of  which 
was  fastened  by  a  common  iron  latch  ;  a  window  was 
placed  near  the  door  ;  when  the  door  was  shut  the  cat 
suffered  no  uneasiness,  so  soon  as  she  was  tired  of  the 
cupboard  she  mounted  on  the  window-sill,  opened  the 


232  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

latch  of  the  door  and  came  out — this  practice  she 
continued  for  years. 

I  think  I  can  beat  this  story  with  one  of  my  own 
which  applies  to  two  different  cats,  both  short  hairs,  one 
a  red  tabby  known  at  shows  as  Lord  Rufus,  but  with 
the  private  name  of  Fritz,  whose  portrait  appears  in  this 
book,  and  the  other  a  black  female  who  had  the  faculty  of 
generally  including  one  pure  white  kitten  in  her  litters, 
although  she  had  not  a  white  hair  upon  her,  and  had  won 
many  prizes  in  the  classes  for  black  females. 

Both  these  cats  had  acquired  the  accomplishment  of 
taking  the  round  door  handle  in  their  two  paws  and 
turning  it  to  open  a  door ;  many  a  time  when  they  have 
been  shut  in  the  kitchen  of  a  night  have  I  known  them 
do  this,  when  they  wanted  to  come  into  the  room  where  I 
was  sitting. 

Lord  Rufus,  the  red  tabby,  was  fond  of  outdoor 
life,  and  spent  the  days  and  early  part  of  the  nights  about 
the  place  searching  for  rats,  mice  and  birds  ;  he  would  go 
after  the  latter  when  roosting  in  the  ivy  on  some  of  the 
garden  walls,  with  much  success. 

Laurel  Tiddles,  the  black,  had  a  habit  which  would 
be  trying  to  nervous  persons,  but,  fortunately,  she  nearly 
always  selected  me  for  its  exercise.  If  she  caught  sight 
of  me  walking  anywhere  about  the  place,  she  would  run 
at  top  speed  and  spring  on  my  shoulder  from  behind,  and 
usually  knocked  off  my  hat  with  the  vigour  of  her 
expressions  of  delight  at  her  feat.  I  am  afraid  she  was 
stolen,  as  she  disappeared  one  day  and  I  could  never 
obtain  any  tidings  about  her.  One  who  had  seen  the 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  233 

performance  mentioned  he  had  observed  a  cat  seated  on  a 
table  make  several  efforts  to  put  her  head  into  a  long 
narrow  vessel  containing  milk.  Finding  the  aperture  too 
small  to  admit  her  head,  she  reconsidered  the  situation, 
and  at  last  dipped  one  of  her  fore  paws  into  the 
milk,  licked  it  carefully  with  her  tongue,  and  con- 
tinued to  help  herself  in  this  way  till  her  appetite  was 
satisfied. 

I  remember  when  I  was  in  lodgings  in  London,  my 
landlady,  who  was  an  inveterate  cat  lover,  had  a  large  red 
tabby  long  hair  with  several  accomplishments,  such  as 
jumping  through  her  hands,  sitting  up  like  a  dog,  "walk- 
ing like  a  gentleman,"  which  consisted  in  strutting  along 
on  the  tips  of  his  toes  in  a  sort  of  mincing  gait,  with  his 
large  tail  held  straight  up  in  the  air. 

As  a  reward  for  this  he  was  always  given  some  milk 
in  a  little  jug,  and  he  used  to  drink  it  in  the  way  men- 
tioned above,  by  dipping  in  one  fore  paw  after  the  other, 
and  then  licking  them  dry. 

I  read  an  account  in  the  Monthly  Magazine  of  a  cat 
that  was  the  means  of  identifying  murderers  : — 

"A  physician  of  Lyons,  France,  was  requested  to 
inquire  into  the  circumstances  of  a  supposed  murder,  that 
had  been  committed,  of  a  woman  in  that  city. 

"In  consequence  of  that  request,  he  went  to  the  house 
of  the  deceased,  where  he  found  her  extended,  lifeless,  on 
the  floor,  weltering  in  her  blood. 

"  A  large  white  cat  was  seated  on  the  cornice  of  a  cup- 
board, at  the  far  end  of  the  apartment,  where  it  seemed  to 
have  taken  refuge. 


234  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

"  It  sat  motionless,  with  its  eyes  fixed  on  the  corpse,  its 
attitude  and  looks  expressing  horror  and  affright. 

"  The  following  morning  it  was  found  in  the  same 
station  and  attitude,  and  when  the  room  was  filled  with 
officers  of  justice,  neither  the  clattering  of  the  soldiers' 
arms  nor  the  loud  conversation  of  the  company  could  in 
the  least  degree  divert  its  attention. 

"  As  soon,  however,  as  the  suspected  persons  were 
brought  in,  its  eyes  glared  with  increased  fury,  its  hair 
bristled,  it  darted  into  the  midst  of  the  apartment,  where 
it  stopped  for  a  moment  to  gaze  at  them,  and  then  pre- 
cipitately retreated  under  the  bed. 

"The  countenances  of  the  assassins  were  disconcerted, 
and  they  were  now,  for  the  first  time  during  the  whole 
course  of  the  horrid  business,  abandoned  by  their  atrocious 
audacity." 

It  has  been  affirmed  that  the  cat  has  no  individual 
attachment  to  man ;  yet  instances  occur  every  day  to 
contradict  this  assertion. 

A  cat  frequently  recognises  that  individual  in  the 
family  who  shows  it  the  greatest  kindness,  and  instances 
constantly  occur  where  it  will  follow  persons  about  the 
house  and  gardens  like  a  dog. 

We  know  a  cat  which  was  so  much  attached  to  a 
young  lady  that  it  followed  her  even  when  out  on  horse- 
back. 

Pennant  mentions  that  when  the  Earl  of  Southampton, 
the  friend  and  companion  of  the  Earl  of  Essex  in  his  fatal 
insurrection,  was  confined  in  the  Tower  of  London,  he 
was  surprised  by  a  visit  from  his  favourite  cat,  which  it  is 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  235 

said  obtained  access  to  its  master  by  descending  the 
chimney  of  his  apartment. 

Lawrence,  in  the  History  of  the  Horse,  relates  an  anec- 
dote of  the  attachment  of  a  black  cat,  for  the  celebrated 
Arabian  horse,  Godolphin. 

These  two  animals  were  friends  for  many  years,  and 
when  at  last  the  horse  died,  the  cat  had  to  be  removed  by 
force  from  his  dead  body.  She  crawled  away  with  extreme 
reluctance,  and  was  found  dead  in  a  hayloft  some  time 
afterwards. 

There  was  a  hunter  in  the  stables  of  His  late  Majesty 
King  George  IV.,  at  Windsor,  to  which  a  cat  was  so 
attached,  that  when  he  was  in  the  stable  she  would  never 
leave  her  usual  seat  upon  the  horse's  back  ;  and  the  latter 
was  so  pleased  with  her  attention,  that  to  accommodate 
his  little  friend,  he  slept,  as  horses  sometimes  do,  standing. 

This,  however,  was  thought  to  affect  his  health,  and 
the  cat  was  at  length  removed  to  a  distant  part  of  the 
country. 

The  cat  readily  associates  with  other  domesticated 
animals.  It  is  no  infrequent  thing  to  see  the  cat  and 
dog  of  the  house  asleep  on  the  rug  in  each  other's 
embraces. 

A  French  lady  taught  her  dog,  cat,  mouse  and  bird 
to  feed  together  from  the  same  plate  ;  and  we  know  how 
often  in  the  happy  families,  occasionally  seen  in  our  public 
streets,  one  or  more  cats  are  included  in  those  miscel- 
laneous gatherings  of  animated  nature. 

A  tame  fox,  belonging  to  a  correspondent,  not  only 
shares  his  meals  with  a  neighbour's  cat,  but  makes  no 


236  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

objection  to  the  saucy  sparrows,  and  even  sometimes 
pigeons,  who  descend  to  pick  up  any  unconsidered  trifles 
remaining  from  his  repast. 

Cats  are  known  to  have  an  especial  talent  for  finding 
their  way  back  to  a  home  for  which  they  had  acquired  a 
liking.  I  have  personally  known  many  such  cases,  but 

*  will  relate  one  I  believe  to  be  perfectly  true  : — 

The  late  Mr  Shor treed,  Sheriff-Substitute  of  Roxburgh- 
shire, once  sent  a  cat  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Jedburgh 
to  a  friend  in  Liddesdale. 

She  was  put  into  a  bag,  and  despatched  by  the  carriers' 

*  cart.     Thus  mewed  up,  it  is  quite  impossible  she  could 
from  observation  have    acquired  any  knowledge  of  the 
geography  of  the  country,  and  yet  she  contrived  to  find 
her  way  back  to  her  old  home,  a  distance  of  nearly  thirty 
miles,  long  before  the  return  of  the  carrier. 

My  own  idea  is,  that  cats  when  at  large  explore  the 
surrounding  country,  probably  for  many  miles,  particularly 
those  cats  which  are  allowed  out  at  night,  when  few  people 
are  about,  and  by  this  means  become  acquainted  with  the 
leading  features  of  the  locality  they  are  in,  and,  in  case  of 
being  Sent  away,  turn  their  knowledge  to  account  should 
they  desire  to  return  to  the  old  home. 

Nothing  can  exceed  the  affection  of  the  mother  cat, 
for  her  kittens,  she  tends  them  with  the  utmost  care  and 
is  always  on  the  watch  to  supply  them  amply  with  food. 

If  she  fancies  any  danger  threatens  them,  she  is  often 
seen  to  carry  them,  one  by  one,  to  a  place  of  safety,  and, 
if  any  are  taken  away  from  her,  makes  every  effort  to  dis- 
cover and  restore  the  missing  offspring. 


CHAPTER   XXIX 

ANECDOTES    ABOUT    CATS Continued 

A  SINGULAR  instance  of  the  provident  anticipations  of 
a  cat  expecting  a  family  is  thus  given  in  the  Library  of 
Entertaining  Knowledge  : — 

"  A  short  time  before  a  cat  produced  kittens,  she  was 
observed  to  hoard  up  several  mice  and  young  rats  which 
she  did  not  quite  kill,  but  lamed  to  prevent  their  escape. 

"  One  day  after  dinner,  when  our  informant  was  sitting 
with  a  friend,  the  cat  bounced  into  the  room  in  eager 
chase  of  one  of  her  maimed  prisoners,  a  young  rat,  which 
had,  it  appeared  from  the  report  of  the  servants,  been 
some  days  under  surveillance  in  a  back  court. 

"  The  rat  sprang  up  the  window  curtains  for  safety,  but 
being  unable  to  retain  its  position  there,  was  soon  re- 
captured and  borne  away  by  his  conqueror." 

The  taking  away  of  her  kittens  should  never  be 
done  wholly  or  at  one  time,  as  it  invariably  causes 
much  suffering  to  the  mother  from  the  milk  provided 
by  nature  for  the  nourishment  of  the  kittens.  This 
is  no  doubt  the  cause,  or  one  of  them,  why  cats  are 
sometimes  found  suckling  young  animals  of  quite  a 
different  race  to  themselves. 

237 


238  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

Innumerable  instances  are  recorded  of  this  kind, — 

In  White's  Natural  History  of  Selborne,  the  author 
says  : — 

"  My  friend  had  a  little  helpless  leveret  (young  hare) 
brought  to  him,  which  the  servants  fed  with  milk  in  a 
spoon,  and  about  the  same  time  his  cat  kittened,  and  the 
young  were  despatched  and  buried.  The  young  hare 
disappeared  and  was  supposed  to  be  gone  the  way  of  most 
foundlings,  killed  by  some  dog  or  cat. 

"  However,  in  about  a  fortnight,  as  the  owner  was 
sitting  in  his  garden  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening,  he 
observed  the  cat,  with  tail  erect,  trotting  towards  him  and 
calling  with  little  short  notes  of  complacency,  such  as 
they  use  towards  their  kittens,  and  something  gambolling 
after,  which  proved  to  be  the  leveret  that  the  cat  had 
supported  with  her  milk  and  continued  to  nourish  with 
great  affection."  In  the  notes  to  a  late  edition  of  same 
work,  instances  are  given  of  cats  transferring  their  atten- 
tions in  rearing,  and  tending  two  young  ducklings,  a 
young  lark,  etc. 

Mr  Brodrip  mentions  the  singular  circumstance  of  a 
cat  that  had  been  deprived  of  its  young  adopting  and 
nursing  the  young  progeny  of  a  rat. 

The  following  is  given  on  undoubted  authority  from 
a  work  already  quoted  : — 

<c  A  cat  and  bitch  belonging  to  a  lady  chanced  to  have 
young  at  the  same  time.  The  cat  not  liking  the  place 
assigned  to  her  for  her  kittens,  carried  them,  without 
having  been  noticed  to  do  so,  into  a  drawer  containing 
clothes,  etc.,  which  was  soon  afterwards  pushed  in  and  the 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  239 

kittens  imprisoned  in  it.  In  the  meantime,  the  bitch, 
having  gone  out  of  doors,  was  either  stolen  or  killed,  as 
she  never  returned  to  her  pups.  These  were  found  out 
and  adopted  by  the  cat.  A  day  or  two  after  this  singular 
adoption,  the  kittens  were  discovered  in  the  drawer  so 
nearly  starved  that  they  all  died,  except  one,  within  a 
week.  The  cat,  however,  continued  to  nurse  both  this 
one  and  her  adopted  pups  till  they  were  able  to  do  without 
her  attention/' 

There  is  probably  no  kind  of  food  that  cats  show  a 
greater  liking  for  than  fish,  and  many  instances  have  been 
recorded  of  their  catching  them  alive. 

Mr  Moody,  of  Jesmond,  near  Newcastle,  had  for  some 
years  a  cat  in  his  possession  that  was  skilful  in  catching 
fish,  and  frequently  brought  them  home  alive. 

Besides  minnows  and  eels  she  occasionally  captured 
pilchards,  one  of  which,  about  six  inches  long,  was  found 
in  her  possession.  She  also  contrived  to  teach  the  cat  of 
a  neighbour  to  fish,  and  the  two  were  often  seen  by  the 
river's  side  watching.  At  other  times  they  were  seen  on 
opposite  sides  of  the  river,  not  far  from  each  other,  on  the 
look-out  for  their  prey. 

The  following  still  more  extraordinary  account  of  a 
cat  fishing  in  the  sea  appeared  in  the  Plymouth  Journal: — 

"  There  is  at  the  Battery  on  the  Devil's  Point,  a  cat 
which  is  an  expert  catcher  of  the  finny  tribe,  being  in  the 
constant  habit  of  diving  into  the  sea  and  bringing  up  the 
fish  alive  in  her  mouth,  and  depositing  them  in  the  guard- 
room for  the  use  of  the  soldiers.  She  is  now  about  seven 
years  old  and  has  long  been  a  useful  caterer.  It  is  sup- 


24o  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

posed  that  her  pursuit  of  the  water  rats  first  taught  her 
to  venture  into  the  water,  to  which  it  is  well  known  cats 
have  a  natural  aversion.  She  is  as  fond  of  the  water  as 
a  Newfoundland  dog,  and  takes  her  regular  peregrinations 
along  the  rocks  at  the  edge  of  the  seashore,  looking  out  for 
her  prey,  ready  to  dive  after  them  at  a  moment's  notice." 

We  also  recollect  a  cat  who  spent  the  greater  part  of 
her  time  on  the  banks  of  a  stream,  living  on  small  fish 
which  she  caught  there,  but  she  also,  in  the  first  instance, 
seemed  to  be  attracted  by  the  water  rats,  whom  she  used 
to  pursue  into  the  water. 

My  old  friend  and  neighbour,  Dr  William  Murray, 
with  whom  I  have  spent  many  a  pleasant  hour,  and  whose 
wife  was  a  sister  of  the  well-known  dramatic  author  and 
novelist,  J.  M.  Barrie,  told  me  that  when  he  was  a  young 
man  he  lived  in  a  small  place  in  Dumfriesshire,  and  was 
in  the  habit  of  going  to  fish  and  sometimes  to  bathe  in 
the  River  Annan.  At  that  time  he  owned  a  large  white- 
haired  cat  called  Beelzebub,  not  from  his  disposition, 
which  was  amiable  and  affectionate,  but  on  account  of  his 
appearance,  which  was  peculiar,  his  colour  being  pure 
white  all  over  with  a  black  spot  or  smudge  covering  his 
head,  face  and  ears,  which  gave  a  most  sinister  appearance 
to  his  countenance. 

This  cat  was  a  constant  companion  on  his  master's 
visits  to  the  river,  and  on  one  occasion,  when  the  doctor 
was  bathing,  he  was  surprised  to  see  the  cat  plunge  into 
the  river,  swim  towards  him  and  spring  on  his  shoulders, 
as  he  frequently  did  on  land,  and  in  that  way  was  borne 
to  the  bank. 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  241 

Ever  afterwards  the  cat  was  observed  to  visit  the 
river  on  his  own  account,  and  swim  after  the  small  fry, 
driving  them  into  shallow  water,  catching  and  making  a 
meal  of  them,  and  never  seemed  troubled  with  the  natural 
aversion  generally  felt  by  cats  to  water,  but  would  plunge 
boldly  in  and  swim  about  like  a  dog. 

In  confirmation  of  my  expressed  opinion  that  cats 
possess  affection  for  people  even  more  than  for  places,  the 
doctor  told  me  that  when,  after  a  long  absence,  he  returned 
to  the  house,  where  he  had  left  his  old  favourite,  the  cat 
came  into  the  room,  and  at  once  jumped  on  his  knee  and 
showed  delight  at  their  meeting  by  every  means  in  his 
power,  and,  when  the  doctor  left  the  house,  accompanied 
him  as  far  as  the  bridge  over  the  river,  which  was  evidently 
associated  in  his  mind  with  their  former  fishing  and 
bathing  experiences. 

Most  of  us  are  familiar  with  the  legend  of  "  Puss  in 
Boots,"  but  I  think  "  Puss  in  Spectacles  "  is  still  more 
strange  and  unusual. 

The  Deoptic  and  Qphthalmometric  Review,  certainly  not 
a  likely  source  for  fairy  tales  or  throwing  the  hatchet,  is 
responsible  for  the  following,  and  as  the  periodical 
referred  to  is  the  organ  of  the  British  Optical  Association, 
it  may  be  taken  as  thoroughly  reliable  : — 

"  A  well-known  lady  who  possesses  a  pet  Maltese  cat 
recently  found  her  cat's  eyesight  begin  to  fail,  so  she  took 
him  to  an  oculist. 

"By  means  of  a  modelled  representation  of  a  mouse, 
the  oculist  carefully  ascertained  what  was  the  matter,  and 
was  able  to  fit  his  interesting  patient  with  suitable  glasses, 

Q 


RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

the  lenses  were  set  in  gold  frames  specially  made  for  the 
purpose,  and  the  result  was  so  satisfactory  that  the  eye- 
sight of  the  cat  became  as  good,  or  better,  than  before." 

I  have  known  cases  of  artificial  limbs  being  fitted  to 
cattle  and  dogs,  and  false  eyes  and  teeth  supplied  to  the 
latter,  but  I  think  it  so  unusual  for  artificial  aids  to  vision 
being  supplied  to  any  animals,  that  I  think  the  above 
worthy  of  mention  in  these  pages  relating  to  cats. 

Amongst  my  many  pets  was  a  large  and  handsome 
long-haired  red  tabby,  who  rejoiced  in  the  aristocratic 
name  of  Marmaduke  when  at  shows,  where  he  won 
many  prizes  at  different  times,  but  when  at  home  was 
known  as  Yellow  Boy,  and  was  a  sociable,  amiable  fellow 
with  human  beings,  but  somewhat  aggressive  with  his 
own  species. 

I.  was  rather  amused  one  day  when  I  met  one  of  my 
nearest  neighbours,  who  owned  a  large  short-haired  tabby 
and  white  male,  that  had  the  reputation  of  being  a  "  bit 
of  a  boxer,"  and  he  said  to  me,  "  That  yaller  cat  of  yours 
is  a  hot  'un,  and  no  mistake."  "  How  so  ?  "  I  asked. 
"Why,"  he  said,  "he  came  into  our  garden  yesterday, 
and  I'm  blessed  if  he  didn't  pitch  into  our  cat,  and  give 
him  a  downright  good  hiding,  on  his  own  ground — never 
seen  such  a  thing  in  my  life  !  " 

I  endeavoured  to  offer  some  apologies  for  the  mis- 
doings of  my  "yaller  cat,"  but  I  firmly  believe  he  had 
considerably  raised  himself  in  my  neighbour's  opinion  by 
successfully  carrying  his  warlike  operations  into  the 
enemy's  camp,  and  that  his  own  cat,  the  larger  and 
heavier  animal,  had  gone  down  in  his  estimation  at  not 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  243 

being    able    to   resist    the    daring    intruder   within    his 
gates. 

The  following  were  related  to  me  by  Mr  Gosney,  of 
Leeds  : — 

A  cat  belonging  to  Mrs  Wood,  an  aunt  of  Mr 
Gosney 's  who  resided  at  Hunslet  near  Leeds,  was  so 
devoted  to  its  mistress,  that  when  her  death  took  place 
she  refused  all  food  or  consolation,  and  was  shortly  after- 
wards found  lying  dead,  stretched  out  on  the  grave  of  her 
mistress. 

A  black  cat  of  Mr  Gosney's  formed  a  strong  affection 
for  the  wife  and  daughter  of  her  owner,  but  for  none  else. 
On  the  occasion  of  their  going  on  a  visit  to  Harrogate, 
she  was  restless  and  disconsolate  until  their  return,  when 
she  showed  her  joy  by  every  demonstration  in  her  power. 

The  same  cat  had  a  great  aversion  to  children,  some 
of  whom  used  to  come  on  Sunday  afternoons  to  visit  their 
grandparents,  and  at  such  times  the  cat  was  nowhere  to 
be  seen,  but  would  make  her  reappearance  immediately 
after  the  children  had  taken  their  departure. 

When  I  moved  to  my  present  residence,  I  took  over 
from  the  last  tenant  a  large  short-haired  black  cat  we 
called  Lord  Sultan,  who  lived  with  us  until  his  death,  a 
few  years  since.  He  spent  most  of  his  time  about  the 
place  out  of  doors,  even  in  wet  or  cold  weather  he  seemed 
to  prefer  life  in  the  open  air. 

He  had  a  great  objection  to  being  taken  up,  and 
though  not  bad-tempered  at  other  times,  if  he  thought 
he  was  going  to  be  lifted,  as  was  occasionally  necessary 
when  he  was  wanted  for  any  show,  would  throw  himself 


244  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

down  on  his  side  and  be  ready  with  all  four  sets  of  claws 
to  lay  hold  of  anyone  attempting  to  touch  him.  He  was 
very  jealous  of  any  other  male  cats  on  the  place,  and  had 
several  pitched  battles  with  Silver  Star,  a  handsome  silver 
tabby  I  had  at  that  time. 

This  Silver  Star  was  rather  a  character  in  his  way, 
and  the  terror  of  all  the  torn  cats  in  our  neighbourhood  ; 
he  was  let  out  for  exercise  and  recreation  twice  a  day, 
morning  and  afternoon,  and  usually  devoted  most  of  his 
leisure  to  seeking  for,  and  polishing  off,  any  of  the  cats  in 
the  surrounding  district,  so  that  when  I  heard  any  un- 
usually piercing  feline  cries,  the  first  thing  I  asked  was 
whether  Silver  Star  was  at  large,  as  I  knew  he  would  be 
in  the  thick  of  any  fight  that  was  going  on  ;  but  if  within 
sound  of  my  voice  he  would  come  back  when  called, 
often  in  a  very  excited  state  from  his  recent  exertions  to 
uphold  his  position  as  champion.  He  was  a  handsome  cat, 
and  took  many  prizes  during  his  show  career. 

I  do  not  know  whether  other  breeders  have  found 
silver  tabby  short  hairs,  especially  males,  more  inclined  to 
stand  on  their  dignity  than  others,  but  I  have  had  several 
that  were  decidedly  very  warlike  in  their  disposition. 

One  in  particular,  whose  private  name  was  Victor,  but 
in  public  assumed  the  title  of  "  Champion  Laurel  King," 
and  as  his  father  was  "  Champion  King  of  the  Fancy/'  and 
his  mother,  my  "  Champion  Laurel  Queen  "  (said  to  be 
the  best  short-haired  female  cat  of  any  variety  ever  shown, 
and  own  sister  to  Mrs  George  Herring's  celebrated 
"  Champion  Jimmy,"  who  probably  took  more  first 
prizes  and  specials  than  any  other  short-haired  male  cat 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  245 

ever  brought  out),  he  was  of  the  most  aristocratic  pedigree 
obtainable. 

Whether,  when  he  was  at  large,  his  pride  of  race  was 
too  much  for  him,  or  whether  he  was  short-tempered  as 
well  as  short-haired  I  cannot  say,  as  he  was  always  most 
gentle  and  amiable  with  us,  and  I  have  never  heard  any 
complaint  of  his  behaviour  at  shows,  where  he  was  so 
often  to  be  seen  amongst  the  prize-winners,  as  on  the  few 
occasions  when  he  was  beaten,  it  was  usually  by  his  own 
mother,  if  shown  in  a  mixed  class  ;  but  he  was  dictatorial 
and  aggressive  with  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  other 
cats,  and  if  he  caught  sight  of  one  would  dart  after  it 
with  all  speed,  and  literally  make  the  fur  fly  in  his  deter- 
mined attack  on  his  adversary,  seeming  to  consider  he 
combined  in  himself  not  only  a  recognised  champion  of 
short-haired  cats,  but  of  the  race  of  domestic  cats,  when- 
ever he  found  them. 

In  consequence  of  this  peculiarity,  I  was  obliged  to 
keep  him  in  much  more  restricted  liberty  than  any  other 
of  my  cats,  as  he  was  too  valuable  to  be  risked  and  did 
not  object  to  going  long  distances  to  meet  with  a  foeman 
worthy  of  his  steel.  His  portrait,  that  of  his  mother  and 
uncle,  appear  in  my  sketch  of  the  Short-haired  Silver 
Tabby  Cat,  and  I  hope  will  give  my  readers  a  good  idea 
of  that  beautiful  variety,  which  I  think  has  no  superior. 

The  following  will  show  how  one  of  the  many  silly 
prejudices  which  exist  in  the  minds  of  those  who  really 
know  little  or  nothing  about  the  animal,  caused  the 
destruction  of  the  cat : — 

"  A  cat  which  had  long  been  remarked  as  one  of  the 


246  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

wildest  of  those  frequenting  a  barn  belonging  to  a  farm 
on  the  borders  of  a  wood  in  Argyllshire,  so  wild,  indeed, 
as  to  be  seldom  even  seen  by  any  of  the  people  about  the 
place,  was  observed  on  several  occasions  during  a  severe 
frost  to  pass  and  repass  into  the  adjacent  farmhouse, 
which  caused  no  little  surprise,  as  it  had  not  for  some 
years  been  known  either  to  enter  or  even  approach  the 
premises. 

"  Had  it  not  been  the  best  season  for  catching  birds  and 
abundance  of  rats  and  mice  about  the  place,  it  might  have 
been  inferred  that  it  was  impelled  by  hunger. 

"But  on  one  of  these  stealthy  visits,  it  was  found 
snugly  coiled  up  in  the  infant's  cradle,  to  the  horror  of  the 
mother,  who  imagined,  in  accordance,  with  a  popular  idea 
amongst  ignorant  people,  that  it  had  come  with  the  object 
of  *  sucking  away  the  baby's  breath.' 

"  All  that  could  be  said  to  persuade  her  of  the  im- 
possibility of  the  cat  doing  this,  and  that  it  had  merely 
selected  the  cradle  for  its  warmth  and  softness,  was  of  no 
avail,  and  orders  were  immediately  given  to  all  the 
servants  on  the  farm  to  kill  the  poor  cat  wherever  she 
might  be  found. 

"  Her  caution  and  agility  were  long  successful  in  saving 
her,  and  though  the  persecution  she  suffered  rendered  her, 
if  possible,  much  wilder  than  before,  yet  she  was  not 
thereby  deterred,  not  even  by  the  showers  of  missiles 
which  assailed  her  on  every  appearance,  from  paying 
constant  visits  to  the  cradle,  because  it  was  the  warmest 
place  within  her  knowledge,  and  she  considered  warmth  as 
indispensable  as  life. 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  247 

"  She  persisted  thus  in  venturing  to  the  cradle,  till  she 
was  at  last  intercepted  and  killed." 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  properties  of  the  domestic 
cat  is  the  anxiety  with  which  it  makes  itself  acquainted 
not  only  with  every  part  of  its  usual  habitation,  but  with 
the  dimensions  and  external  qualities  of  every  object  by 
which  it  is  surrounded. 

Cats  do  not  at  once  readily  adapt  themselves  to  a 
change  of  residence,  but  I  have  watched  the  process 
usually  adopted  by  those  whose  attachment  to  the  family 
is  assured  in  reconciling  themselves  to  such  a  change. 

Every  room  in  the  house  is  surveyed  from  the  garret 
to  the  cellars,  if  a  door  is  shut  waiting  patiently  until  it  is 
open  to  complete  the  survey ;  ascertaining  the  relative  size 
and  position  of  every  article  of  furniture,  and  when  this 
knowledge  has  been  acquired  sitting  down  contented  with 
the  new  situation. 

It  appears  to  be  necessary  to  a  cat  to  be  intimately 
acquainted  with  every  circumstance  of  the  position,  in  the 
same  way  that  a  general  first  examines  the  face  of  the 
country  in  which  he  is  to  conduct  his  operations. 

If  a  new  piece  of  furniture,  if  even  a  large  book  or 
portfolio  is  newly  placed  in  a  room  which  a  cat  frequents, 
it  walks  round  it,  smells  it,  takes  note  of  its  size  and 
appearance,  and  then  never  troubles  itself  further  about 
the  matter. 

This  is  probably  an  instinctive  quality,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  that  wild  cats,  and  as  I  have  before  said  domestic 
cats  also  that  enjoy  much  liberty,  take  a  survey  of  every 
tree  or  stone,  every  gap  in  brake  or  thicket,  and 


248  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

every  road  or  path  within  the  ordinary  range  of  their 
operations. 

The  whiskers  of  the  cat,  as  in  the  cases  of  lions  and 
other  large  cats,  enable  them  to  ascertain  the  space  through 
which  the  bodies  may  pass  without  the  inconvenience  of 
attempting  an  impossible  passage. 

A  correspondent  relates  a  case  where  a  boy  brought 
him  three  young  squirrels  which  he  had  taken  from  their 
nest  in  a  tall  fir  tree.  The  little  creatures  were  placed 
under  a  cat  that  had  recently  lost  her  kittens,  and  he 
found  that  she  at  once  took  to  them  and  suckled  them 
with  the  same  care  and  affection,  as  if  they  had  been  her 
own  progeny. 

At  Elford,  near  Lichfield,  the  Rev.  Mr  Sawlay  secured 
the  young  leverets  from  a  hare  which  had  been  shot.  His 
cat,  which  had  just  lost  her  own  kittens,  carried  them 
away  one  by  one  in  her  mouth,  intending,  it  was  supposed, 
to  make  a  meal  of  them ;  but  it  presently  appeared  it  was 
maternal  affection,  not  hunger,  which  impelled  her  prompt 
action  in  the  matter,  as  she  suckled  them  with  the  utmost 
care  and  attention,  and  brought  them  up  as  their  mother. 

Many  of  my  readers  will  have  heard  of  and  perhaps 
seen  cats  which  were  said  by  their  owners  to  be  more  than 
a  match  for  any  dog.  One  I  remember  as  a  boy  belonging 
to  a  man  with  I  think  the  uncommon  name  of  Bones,  who 
kept  a  barber's  shop  in  Nicholas  Street,  Bristol,  before  it 
was  widened  out  and  made  the  important  thoroughfare  it 
has  since  become. 

It  was  a  trick  with  its  owner  to  stand  at  the  door  of 
his  shaving  saloon  in  his  leisure  moments  with  the  cat  on 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  249 

his  shoulder,  and  sometimes  if  he  saw  a  dog  coming  along, 
particularly  if  alone,  to  let  the  cat  down  on  its  back  ;  in 
nineteen  cases  out  of  twenty  the  dog,  thus  taken  by 
surprise,  would  run  away  howling,  but  one  day  he  made  a 
mistake  in  his  customer,  jerked  the  cat  on  to  a  well-bred 
bull  terrier  that  was  passing,  who  at  once  threw  it  off  its 
back  and  killed  it  in  a  few  minutes. 

The  barber  found  out  the  owner  of  the  dog  and  sued 
him  for  the  value  of  his  cat,  but  it  was  proved  not  only 
that  the  cat  was  the  aggressor,  but  that  it  had  been  done 
many  times  before,  and  the  case  was  given  against  the 
barber,  with  costs. 

I  remember  my  friend,  R.  H.  Moore,  the  well-known 
animal  painter,  telling  me  of  an  incident  which  occurred 
to  him. 

He  was  out  in  his  own  neighbourhood,  and  being,  as 
one  can  see  from  his  pictures,  a  keen  lover  of  animals,  had 
one  of  his  dogs,  a  Scottish  terrier,  with  him. 

When  he  went  into  a  shop  the  woman  said  he  had 
better  look  out  for  his  dog,  as  her  cat  was  a  terror  to  all 
the  dogs  in  the  district.  My  friend  told  her  he  was  not  at 
all  anxious  about  his  dog,  who  would  take  her  own  part 
in  the  general  way. 

Presently  the  cat  made  a  rush  for  the  dog,  and  jumped 
on  her  back  ;  she  looked  rather  nonplussed  for  a  moment 
as  the  attack  was  unexpected,  but  then  she  quickly 
reversed  the  order  of  affairs,  the  cat  was  on  its  back  and 
the  dog  standing  over  it,  and  its  days  would  have  been 
ended  then  and  there  but  for  my  friend's  interference. 

He  kindly  gave  me  the  rough  pencil  sketches  he  made 


250 


RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 


at  the  time,  and  which  I   greatly  value,  of  what  I  call 
"  Turning  the  Tables." 

I  had  an  unpleasant  experience  of  something  of  the 
same  kind  with  almost  the  first  dog  I  ever  bought  with 
my  own  money  ;  this  was  a  Mustard  Dandie  whom  I  had 
proved  to  be  a  good  rat  killer,  but  was  not  aware  she  had 
an  aversion  to  cats,  until  one  day  when  she  was  out  with 
me,  and  saw  one  bolt  down  the  area  steps  of  a  house  in  a 
fashionable  crescent,  the  bitch  darted  after  her,  and  before  I 
could  stop  her,  as  the  gate  was  locked,  she  had  settled  the 
cat  on  its  own  threshold. 


CHAPTER   XXX 

ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS — continued 

I  REMEMBER  a  friend  of  mine  getting  into  trouble  in 
somewhat  the  same  way.  He  was  out  with  a  bull  terrier, 
who  ran  after  and  killed  a  stray  cat  before  he  could  get  to 
them  :  and  a  policeman  coming  along  just  then,  he  was 
summoned  and  fined  for  cruelty  to  animals,  although  he 
was  quite  powerless  to  prevent  what  took  place. 

Cats  sometimes  get  into  difficulties  on  their  own 
account.  I  remember  one  of  mine,  a  black  tabby,  or 
short-haired  smoke,  apparently  having  fallen  into  a  tub  of 
whitewash  or  some  such  stuff  at  some  buildings  which 
were  being  put  up  in  our  neighbourhood. 

We  cleaned  off  every  portion  of  it  possible,  but  it  had 
the  effect  of  removing  all  her  hair,  and  she  was  as  bare  as 
those  hairless  dogs  we  sometimes  see,  and  a  most  pitiable 
object,  even  to  her  tail. 

Her  body  was  dressed  all  over  with  an  oily  mixture 
to  nourish  the  coat  and  exclude  the  air,  and  we  had 
the  satisfaction  of  seeing  her  make  a  complete  recovery, 
with  a  better  coat  than  before  ;  she  was  an  old  favourite, 

251 


252  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

and  we  did  not  like  the  idea  of  having  her  destroyed,  and 
she  lived  to  a  good  old  age. 

The  same  cat  formed  a  close  friendship  with  a  cocka- 
too and  a  brindled  toy  bull  terrier,  which  then  formed 
part  of  our  household ;  although  the  dog  was  a  sworn 
enemy  to  any  other  cats,  he  and  this  cat  would  lie 
together  on  the  hearth-rug,  and  when  the  cat  was  foraging 
at  the  stand  forming  the  base  of  the  cockatoo's  perch,  for 
anything  to  her  liking  dropped  by  the  bird,  cockie  would 
slide  down  her  pole  and  caress  the  cat  with  her  beak, 
and  it  was  a  favourite  practice  of  hers  on  these  occasions 
to  take  hold  of  the  cat's  tail  and  run  it  through  her  beak, 
doing  it  very  gently,  and  as  a  sort  of  friendly  recognition 
of  the  relations  between  them. 

We  lived  for  many  years  at  Laurel  Bank,  Downend,  in 
Gloucestershire,  where  we  had  seven  or  eight  acres  about 
the  place,  and  our  nearest  neighbour  was  a  Mr  Samuel 
Rogers,  who  kept  a  number  of  prize-bred  poultry,  princi- 
pally Black  Hawburghs,  Bantams,  and  Silkies,  which  used 
to  be  running  in  a  paddock  adjoining  part  of  our  grounds. 
Amongst  our  cats,  at  that  time,  was  a  very  large  and 
handsome  black  Persian,  a  great  winner  of  prizes,  and 
whose  private  name  was  Gipsy. 

I  suppose  there  must  have  been  something  irresistibly 
fascinating  about  the  chickens  of  the  poultry  I  have  men- 
tioned, as  on  several  occasions  Gipsy  made  his  appearance 
with  one  of  them  in  his  mouth,  to  our  intense  annoyance, 
as  we  felt  there  were  likely  to  be  "strained  relations"  in 
consequence  with  our  neighbours. 

I  went  in,  taking  back  the  chicks,  which  were  always 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  253 

quite  uninjured,  explained  the  state  of  the  case  and  entered 
into  a  compact  with  them,  that  Gipsy  should  be  let  out 
for  exercise  and  recreation  twice  a  day,  and  before  his 
release  a  big  bell  (like  as  is  seen  at  railway  stations)  should 
be  rung,  to  give  warning  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy, 
when  they  shut  up  all  the  smaller  birds,  and  we  never  had 
any  more  trouble  about  the  matter. 

Gipsy  never  troubled  about  adult  birds,  and  I  think 
caught  the  others  more  for  fun  than  anything  else,  as  he 
never  attempted  to  eat  them,  or  objected  to  their  being 
taken  away  after  he  had  shown  his  cleverness  in  catching 
them. 

In  speaking  of  Short-haired  White  Cats  I  mentioned 
a  large  specimen  we  had  called  Sam  that  took  an  immense 
number  of  prizes  and  always  kept  himself  in  the  height  of 
perfection,  although  except  at  night  he  was  rarely  indoors, 
no  matter  what  the  weather  was,  and  never  seemed  affected 
by  cold,  as  he  would  go  out  in  the  snow  at  any  time. 

Although  it  would  be  supposed  his  noticeable  colour 
would  be  greatly  against  his  success,  he  was  the  most  adroit 
bird  catcher  I  ever  saw,  never  catching  less  than  one  or 
two  every  day,  and  I  firmly  believe  he  mainly  got  his 
own  living  in  that  way,  as  he  was  one  of  the  smallest 
eaters  of  all  our  cats,  but  a  big-bodied  animal  and  never 
seemed  to  get  out  of  condition. 

He  was  immensely  popular  with  us  but  most  unsoci- 
able with  strangers,  although  never  bad-tempered,  but 
reserved  in  the  highest  degree. 

The  brown  tabby,  Laurel  Quar,  I  spoke  of  in  the 
sketch  of  that  variety,  was  purchased  by  a  stone-cutter  in 


254  RABBITS,  CATS  AND  CAVIES 

our  district,  of  a  boy  who  had  been  ordered  to  drown  him 
in  the  pond  in  a  quarry,  hence  his  name,  and  after  he 
came  into  my  hands  he  took  many  prizes  at  our  largest 
shows,  and  was  one  of  the  best  really  brown  tabbies  I 
have  seen  for  many  years,  so  many  of  that  supposed 
colour  being  greyish  where  they  should  be  brown. 

About  five  years  since  there  was  a  man  who  went 
under  the  name  of  Leonidas,  who  had  been  very  success- 
ful as  a  trainer  of  performing  dogs  and  cats.  The  following 
are  some  of  his  experiences  of  the  latter  : — 

"  I  train  my  dogs  and  cats  by  kindness  and  patience, 
oh  !  so  much  patience. 

"  The  main  thing  is  to  get  them  to  understand  what 
you  want  them  to  do,  and  then  they  do  it  quickly  enough  ; 
I  am  sure  dogs  and  cats  reason  up  to  a  certain  point. 

"  They  can  reason  sufficiently  to  understand  what  I  want 
them  to  do.  It  isn't  imitation,  because  I  never  show  them 
what  I  want  done,  but  explain  what  I  wish,  and  tell  them 
to  do  it. 

"  Dogs  have  more  reason  than  cats,  and  are  far  easier  to 
train. 

"  Cats  are  capricious,  and  must  be  coaxed  all  the  time  ; 
if  you  let  a  cat  know  you  are  trying  to  make  it  do  a  thing, 
it  won't  do  it ;  one  must  always  be  kind  to  them. 

"To  teach  them  new  tricks,  I  tell  them  what  I  want 
done,  and  flatter  them  into  doing  it.  For  instance,  when 
I  wanted  to  teach  Mimisse,  the  cat,  to  climb  up  a  rope 
the  full  height  of  the  stage,  open  and  enter  a  basket 
attached  to  a  parachute,  which  I  let  loose,  I  hold  her  on 
the  rope  and  say,  '  Up,  up,  up  ! '  petting  her  all  the  time. 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  255 

"  Soon  she  knew  that  it  would  please  me  if  she  would 
go  up,  and  up  she  started.  When  she  got  to  the  top,  I 
told  her  to  open  the  basket  and  get  in. 

"  She  understood  what  I  meant,  because  she  is  accus- 
tomed to  open  the  lid  and  enter  a  basket,  held  in  the 
mouth  of  one  of  my  performing  dogs. 

"  I  let  the  parachute  down  very  gently  at  first,  but  after 
she  had  done  the  trick  several  times  I  could  bring  it 
down  as  suddenly  as  I  pleased. 

"  The  time  required  for  learning  a  new  trick  depends, 
both  on  the  nature  of  the  trick  itself  and  upon  the  indi- 
vidual intelligence  of  each  one  of  the  pupils.  The  things 
which  look  hardest  to  the  audience  are  often  the  simplest 
of  the  whole  performance.  I  never  dare  to  punish  the 
cats  at  all,  they  are  too  contrary  in  their  disposition  ;  I 
believe  if  I  struck  one  of  them,  it  would  never  act  again. 

"  It  takes  a  long  time  to  get  an  idea  into  a  cat's  head. 
When  I  was  teaching  my  company  the  circus  act,  1  almost 
gave  up  in  despair.  The  dogs  act  as  horses  and  the  cats 
as  riders.  A  dog  trots  round  the  ring,  passing  under  a 
chair  on  which  sits  a  cat ;  as  the  dog  comes  out  from 
under  the  chair,  the  cat  springs  on  his  back,  and  jumps 
back  on  the  chair  when  the  circuit  is  completed. 

"  It  is  very  hard  for  the  cat  to  get  a  good  grip,  especi- 
ally on  short-haired  dogs,  and  they  used  their  claws  at  first 
to  keep  them  from  falling  off.  This,  of  course,  hurt  the 
dogs,  and  they  would  shake  the  cats  off. 

"  It  took  me  months  of  patient  instruction  to  teach  the 
cats  that  they  must  hold  on  by  the  pressure  of  their  legs 
and  feet,  and  not  use  their  claws  at  all.  These  things 


256  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

require  much  time,  patience  and  flattery,  if  success  is  to 
be  obtained." 

"  A  correspondent  of  a  once  popular  weekly  journal, 
under  the  initials  R.  D.,  and  who  had  evidently  never 
heard  of  Manx  cats,  writes  as  follows  : — 

"  In  the  parish  of  Peniswick,  Hamlet  of  Shepscombe, 
there  was  some  time  since,  and  most  probably  there  is  now, 
a  singular  breed  of  cats. 

"  I  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  one  of  them  in  the 
house  of  Mr  Neville,  the  clergyman.  These  cats  have  no 
tails  whatever,  being  like  some  shepherd's  dogs,  guileless  of 
the  shadow  of  a  tail.  But  what  is  still  more  extraordinary, 
they  neither  walk  nor  trot  across  the  room,  all  their  move- 
ments are  precisely  those  of  the  rabbit.  Thus,  instead  of 
walking  they  hop,  whether  at  a  slow  or  fast  pace.  With 
the  exception  of  a  deficiency  in  the  caudal  appendage,  the 
animal  is  in  all  other  respects  a  perfect  cat.  I  could  not, 
though  I  made  diligent  inquiry,  learn  anything  satisfactory 
as  to  the  origin  of  these  animals,  which  have  so  much  the 
resemblance  of  a  cross  between  bunny  and  grimalkin." 

The  above  paragraph  elicited  a  reply  in  a  subsequent 
number  of  the  periodical  from  a  correspondent,  giving  the 
initials  M.  R.,  and  ran  as  follows  : — 

"  I  have  much  pleasure  in  answering  an  inquiry  relative 
to  a  race  of  cats  without  tails,  one  of  which  is  stated 
to  have  belonged  to  a  clergyman  at  Shepscombe, 
Glo.  : 

"  Having  lived  many  years  in  that  locality,  and 
possessed  one  of  the  tailless  cats,  I  can  give  you  every 
particular  on  the  subject. 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  257 

"  Mr  Neville  first  brought  a  kitten  without  a  tail  from 
the  Isle  of  Man  ;  she  became  on  growing  up  the  parent 
of  numerous  progeny.  One  of  the  kittens  was  given 
to  my  mother,  and  a  more  gentle,  amiable  and  affectionate 
little  quadruped  never  acquired  the  affection  of  a  house- 
hold. 

"  Her  fur  was  light  tortoiseshell  in  colour,  and 
remarkably  soft.  She  was  somewhat  more  delicate 
than  many  of  her  grimalkin  neighbours,  and  as  re- 
gards her  tail,  it  was  about  half  an  inch  long,  merely 
a  little  tuft. 

"  But  we  did  not  observe  that  the  want  of  that  natural 
rudder  prevented  her  from  running  in  a  straight  line, 
or  climbing  trees  most  admirably. 

"  Her  movements  were  remarkably  graceful  and  cat- 
like in  all  respects,  and  I  never  observed  in  her  actions 
or  mode  of  progressing  the  slightest  similarity  to  those 
of  the  Rabbit  family. 

"  One  or  two  of  her  kittens  were  nearly,  if  not  quite, 
without  tails — occasionally  she  had  long-tailed  kittens ; 
her  mother,  as  I  have  said,  came  from  the  Isle  of  Man." 

From  the  foregoing  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  cat 
described  by  R.  D.  was  a  pure  Manx,  and  the  one 
in  the  paragraphs  above  a  half-bred  Manx,  taking 
after  the  dam  in  tail  but  with  the  action  of  its  long- 
tailed  sire,  and  the  fact  that  such  specimens  are 
occasionally  exhibited  in  Manx  and  Variety  Classes 
is  my  reason  for  saying  in  my  sketch  about  Manx  cats 
that  all  cats  even  born  without  tails  are  not  necessarily 
pure-bred  specimens  of  the  variety. 


258  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

The  following  extract  from  the  Animal  Biography, 
published  in  1805,  although  of  course  antiquated  in 
its  language,  is  not  without  interest  to  the  readers 
of  the  present  day  : — 

"  Instances  are  very  common  of  cats  returning  of 
their  own  accord  to  the  places  from  whence  they  have 
been  carried  ;  though  at  a  distance  of  many  miles, 
and  even  across  rivers  where  they  could  not  possibly 
have  had  any  knowledge  either  of  the  road  or  the 
direction  that  would  lead  them  to  it. 

"  This  may  perhaps  arise  from  their  having  been 
acquainted  in  their  former  habitation  with  all  the 
retreats  of  the  mice  and  the  passages  and  outlets  of 
the  house,  and  from  the  disadvantages  which  they  must 
experience  in  these  particulars  by  changing  their 
residence. 

"No  experiment  can  be  more  beautiful  than  that 
of  setting  a  kitten  for  the  first  time  before  a  looking- 
glass. 

"  The  animal  appears  surprised  and  pleased  with  the 
resemblance,  and  makes  several  attempts  at  touching  its 
new  acquaintance,  and  at  length,  finding  its  efforts  fruit- 
less, it  looks  behind  the  glass  and  appears  highly  astonished 
at  the  absence  of  the  figure.  It  again  views  itself  and 
tries  to  touch  the  image  with  its  foot,  suddenly  looking 
at  intervals  behind  the  glass. 

"It  then  becomes  more  accurate  in  its  observations, 
and  begins,  as  it  were,  to  make  experiments  by  stretching 
out  its  paw  in  different  directions,  and  when  it  finds  that 
these  motions  are  answered  in  every  respect  by  the  figure 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  259 

in  the  glass,  it  seems  at  length  to  be  convinced  of  the 
real  nature  of  the  image. 

"  The  same  is  the  case  with  dogs  at  an  early  age. 

"  The  sleep  of  the  cat,  though  generally  very  slight, 
is,  however,  sometimes  so  profound  that  the  animal 
requires  to  be  shaken  pretty  briskly  before  it  can  be 
awakened. 

"  This  particularly  takes  place  chiefly  in  the  depth  of 
winter,  and  on  the  approach  of  snowy  weather.  At  such 
periods,  as  well  as  at  some  others,  the  cat  diffuses  a 
fragrant  smell  somewhat  like  that  of  cloves. 

"It  has  been  remarked  that  the  eyes  of  cats  always 
shine  with  a  bright  light  when  they  are  in  the  dark. 

"It  is  generally  supposed  they  can  see  in  the  dark, 
but  though  this  is  not  absolutely  the  case,  it  is  certain 
they  can  see  with  much  less  light  than  most  other 
animals,  owing  to  the  peculiar  structure  of  their  eyes, 
the  pupils  of  which  are  capable  of  being  contracted  or 
dilated  in  proportion  to  the  degree  of  light  by  which 
they  are  affected. 

"  In  the  day  time  the  pupil  of  the  cat's  eye  is 
perpetually  contracted,  and  sometimes  into  a  mere 
line,  for  it  is  with  difficulty  that  it  can  see  by  a 
strong  light  ;  but  in  the  twilight  the  pupil  resumes 
its  natural  roundness,  and  the  animal  enjoys  perfect 
vision. 

"It  appears  somewhat  singular  that  on  plunging  the 
head  of  a  cat  into  water,  although  the  animal  be  exposed 
to  a  very  bright  light  the  pupil  should  become  im- 
mediately expanded  to  all  its  width. 


260  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

"This,  however,  is  to  be  accounted  for  on  optical 
principles." 

When  the  late  Mr  Baumgarten  was  at  Damascus 
he  saw  there  a  kind  of  hospital  for  cats. 

The  house  in  which  they  were  kept  was  very  large, 
walled  round,  and  was  said  to  be  quite  full  of  them. 

On  inquiring  into  the  origin  of  this  singular  institu- 
tion, he  was  told  that  Mahomet,  when  he  once  lived  there, 
brought  with  him  a  cat  which  he  kept  in  the  sleeve  of 
his  robe,  and  carefully  fed  with  his  own  hands. 

His  followers  in  that  place,  therefore,  ever  afterwards 
paid  a  superstitious  respect  to  those  animals,  and  supported 
them  in  this  manner  by  public  alms,  which  were  very 
adequate  for  the  purpose. 

The  patience,  vigilance,  craft,  utility  and  cleanliness 
of  the  cat  have  also  obtained  for  it  the  highest  degree  of 
protection  in  the  Eastern  mythology  ;  so  far,  indeed,  that 
it  is  there  esteemed  the  noblest  species  of  its  tribe. 

A  curious  fact  in  the  natural  history  of  the  cat  is 
related  of  one  belonging  to  Dr  Coventry,  formerly 
Professor  of  Agriculture  at  Edinburgh,  which  was  born 
perfect  in  all  its  parts,  but  lost  its  tail  by  an  accident 
which  took  place  when  it  was  a  youngster. 

It  had  many  litters  of  kittens,  and  in  every  one  of 
these  there  was  one  or  more  that  was  wanting  in  tail, 
either  wholly  or  partially. 

The  following  is  related  by  a  correspondent,  who 
knew  the  parties  concerned,  the  circumstances  and  the 
cat,  and  confirms  my  opinion  that  when  kindly  treated 
cats  attach  themselves  to  persons  more  than  to  places. 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  261 

The  cat  in  question  was  sent  when  a  kitten  from  Bath 
to  Evesham,  in  Worcestershire,  and  formed  a  warm 
friendship  with  one  of  the  sons  of  her  master's  opposite 
neighbour,  who  was  an  intimate  friend  and  often  at 
the  house. 

The  young  man  left  Evesham,  but  on  his  returning 
there  he  referred  to  his  little  friend  the  cat,  whose  owner 
had  left  the  place  and  resided  some  ten  miles  off,  and  said 
he  would  go  and  call  on  her  owner  and  see  if  the  cat  was 
still  in  the  land  of  the  living,  and  whether  it  would  re- 
member him. 

Accordingly  he  made  out  his  visit,  and  on  his  arrival 
the  delight  of  the  cat  was  so  great  that  her  owner  con- 
sented to  his  bringing  her  back  with  him,  that  she  might 
enjoy  his  company  for  the  rest  of  his  visit  at  Evesham, 
and  she  was  so  perfectly  happy  at  being  with  him  that  she 
remained  on  the  best  of  terms  with  the  pet  animals  and 
birds  at  the  strange  home  to  which  she  was  taken,  and 
none  of  them  ever  exhibited  any  annoyance  or  jealousy 
at  the  introduction  of  the  visitor. 

She  would  sit  on  her  friend's  knee,  and  rub  herself 
against  his  shoulders  and  face,  purring  loudly  all  the 
time.  At  meal  times  no  choice  morsel  would  tempt 
her  from  his  side,  and  at  night  a  snug  bed  was  prepared 
for  her  and  carried  into  her  friend's  bedroom,  but  even 
that  would  not  satisfy  her  until  some  article  of  his  cloth- 
ing was  placed  in  the  basket  for  her  to  lie  on.  During 
his  absence  in  the  day  time  she  would  trot  about  the 
house,  seeming  quite  at  home,  and,  when  tired  of  looking 
for  her  friend  inside  the  house,  would  go  into  the  garden 


262  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

and  take  up  a  position  in  one  of  the  trees  overlooking 
the  road,  and  there  patiently  await  his  return.  Once 
he  was  in  sight  she  was  happy. 

Strange  as  the  affection  of  this  animal  was,  it  was 
none  the  less  extraordinary  that  she  should  come  to  a 
strange  house,  where  all  except  one  was  quite  new  to  her, 
yet  never  for  an  instant  appeared  lost  or  perplexed. 

She  made  herself  a  favourite  with  one  and  all,  and  at 
the  end  of  her  friend's  visit  was  sent  back  to  her  master's 
house,  where  she  at  once  fell  into  her  old  habits,  probably 
living  in  hopes  some  day  again  of  seeing  her  old  friend. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  an  interesting  article 
which  appeared  on  cats  in  an  old  number  of  the  Illustrated 
London  News,  and  shows  not  only  that  there  are  grades 
in  cat  society,  but  that  they  can,  as  I  have  often  noticed 
amongst  dogs,  recognise  days  and  the  voices  of  people  in 
whom  they  are  interested  : — 

"  A  not  uncommon  phrase  in  households  is  that  of  the 
*  parlour  cat '  and  the  *  kitchen  cat,'  and  I  believe  it  to 
be  an  undoubted  fact  that  there  are  differences  in  the 
character  of  the  creatures,  which  somehow  prompt  the 
one  to  seek  the  cheerful  light  and  talk  of  a  sitting-room, 
and  the  other  rather  to  brood  and  nestle  in  the  gloomier 
but  warmer  regions  below. 

"  The  one  is  always  seen  conspicuously  on  the  rug  or 
stretched  upon  the  footstool ;  the  other  making  casual 
appearance  on  the  stairs  and  flying  like  a  spectre  on  the 
approach  of  anyone  but  the  cook. 

"  The  one  creature  seems  to  have  a  sort  of  aristocracy 
in  its  nature,  and  it  is  all  but  uniformly  the  handsomer 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  263 

cat  of  the  twain  ;  the  other  is  most  probably  a  vulgar 
plain  plebeian  with  its  original  shyness  still  strongly 
present  in  it. 

"Of  my  three  cats  two  I  reckon  as  parlour  cats,  and 
the  third  has  been  by  kind  usage  and  encouragement 
coaxed  into  a  degree  of  the  same  familiarity.  Still,  how- 
ever, the  natural  timidity  seems  unconquerable.  If  you 
make  a  rapid  motion  towards  the  creature  she  bounds 
away  like  a  wild  thing.  Her  two  comrades,  on  the  con- 
trary, are  frightened  at  nothing. 

"  The  room,  the  occupants,  the  whole  locality  seem 
their  own  special  sphere  and  natural  dwelling-place  ;  and 
the  only  period  of  the  day  when  the  three  appear  to  be 
merged  into  a  common  character,  is  as  the  hour  for  the 
visit  of  the  cats'  meat  man  approaches,  when  they  are  sure 
to  be  waiting  at  the  door,  and  set  up  their  sweet  voices 
as  soon  as  they  hear  that  of  the  vendor  of  the  food. 

"  It  is  to  be  remarked  that  they  take  not  the  slightest 
notice  of  the  daily  cry  of  a  rival  practitioner  who  peram- 
bulates the  street  at  nearly  the  same  time,  and  that  on 
Sundays,  when  no  such  visit  takes  place,  they  never  appear 
to  expect  the  weekday  ceremony,  but  are  perfectly  aware 
of  a  double  quantity  of  their  accustomed  food  being 
stowed  away  in  a  certain  cupboard,  round  which  they 
cluster  with  arching  backs  and  waving  tails." 

People  sometimes  complain  that  kittens  are  pretty 
playful  things,  but  that  they  lose  the  gentleness  and 
piquant  prettiness  of  their  youth  when  they  mature  and 
grow  into  adult  cats. 

The  complaint  is  most  unreasonable,  for  the  fact  is 


264  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

that  the  playfulness  of  kittenhood  (particularly  with 
healthy  good-tempered  cats)  can  be  partially  kept  up  by 
a  little  encouragement  even  when  they  have  grown  into 
"  potent,  grave  and  reverend  seigneurs,"  and  can  be 
induced  to  skip,  roll  and  tumble  in  the  most  absurdly 
awkward  mimicry  of  the  small  fry,  which  in  the  words  of 
the  late  Mr  Micawber  have  not  "ceased  to  derive  nourish- 
ment from  nature's  font." 

The  following  account  of  a  cat  and  dog  friendship  is 
related  by  a  correspondent  at  Tottenham,  who  was  an 
eye  witness  of  the  scene  described  : — 

"A  few  days  ago  I  was  present  at  a  pretty  and 
interesting  scene  at  the  house  of  a  near  relative. 

"  He  is  the  owner  of  a  King  Charles  Toy  Spaniel  named 
Hoppy,  and  a  fine  tabby  cat  known  as  Toodles. 

' '  This  frisky  pair  began  their  games  shortly  after  my 
arrival  and  continued  at  intervals  during  the  whole  after- 
noon and  evening.  Never  did  I  see  cat  and  dog  so 
thoroughly  enjoy  themselves — Hoppy  sprang  on  Toodles, 
who  caught  him  by  the  neck  and  floored  him. 

"Then  the  order  was  reversed,  Toodles  being  down. 
Now  a  regular  wrestling  and  both  down  together.  Up 
again,  roll  over  each  other.  He  making  a  grab  at  her 
tail  finds  her  too  quick  for  him  and  is  caught  by  his  own 
brush. 

"  She  takes  up  her  position  with  her  back  to  the  fender, 
and  as  he  makes  his  spring  she  throws  him.  He  now 
takes  up  the  opposite  position  to  her  and  the  four  paws 
of  each  of  them  move  with  wonderful  rapidity. 

"  The  most  perfect  good-humour  prevails  ;  she  never 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS 


265 


lets  her  claws  be  seen.  There  is  no  angry  growling  or 
barking.  Such  thoroughly  good-tempered  play  I  never 
before  witnessed  between  a  dog  and  a  cat,  and  others 
besides  the  feline  race  might  take  a  hint  from  what  is  here 
recorded." 


CHAPTER    XXXI 

ANECDOTES   ABOUT  CATS — continued 

SOME  years  since  I  saw  a  paragraph  in  that  popular 
fanciers'  paper,  Fur  and  Feather^  giving  short  particulars  of 
a  cat  which  had  taken  to  quite  a  novel  recreation,  being 
that  of  'mountaineering,  and  its  doings  were  duly 
chronicled  in  some  of  the  local  Swiss  papers  : — 

"  The  cat  came  upon  the  scene  suddenly  and  no  one 
knew  from  whence.  It  had  already  reached  months  of 
discretion  when  it  took  up  its  abode  and  profession  in 
the  mountain  hospice,  and  was  then  to  be  seen  most 
days  at  the  foot  of  the  Dent  du  Midi,  not  far  from 
Salfaufe. 

"  Here  this  remarkable  tabby  came  to  meet  the  moun- 
taineers on  their  start  and  followed  them  c  like  a  dog ' ; 
only  dogs  do  not,  as  a  rule,  show  any  fancy  for  the  high 
Alps. 

"It  accompanied  them  to  the  very  summit,  and  shared 
the  climbers'  frugal  fare.  Indeed,  it  is  supposed  to  be  for 
the  sake  of  the  broken  fragments  that  this  Alpine  cat 
makes  its  daily  ascent. 

266 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  267 

"  Times  had  been  bad  for  man  and  beast  in  the  pouring 
rains,  which  had  very  much  damped  the  autumn  joys  of 
the  Swiss  tourists  in  the  Valais. 

"  Perhaps  even  cats  found  it  hard  to  make  an  honest 
living,  but  surely  a  daily  ascent  of  3185  metres  for  the 
sake  of  a  scanty  lunch  is  to  take  life  too  seriously  ;  or  is 
it  that  in  lordly  contempt  of  the  canine  race,  the  animal 
meant  to  emulate  the  St  Bernards  ?  " 

The  two  following  are  taken  from  the  same  paper  and 
may  interest  some  of  my  readers  : — 

"  There  is  a  gambling  house  in  Queen's  County  that 
has  a  cat  different  from  the  kind  usually  found  in  such 
places  ;  it  is  about  seven  months  old  and  spent  nearly  all 
its  life  in  the  gaming  establishment. 

"  From  its  first  day  in  the  gambling  saloon  the  kitten 
showed  great  interest  in  the  roulette  wheel,  the  spinning 
ball  and  the  whirling  disc  had  apparently  great  fascina- 
tions, and  it  never  tired  of  watching  the  game  being 
played. 

"While  the  croupier  was  whirling  the  ball,  the 
cat  occupied  a  position  behind  the  duprack,  where 
the  ball  could  be  watched,  and  the  animal  did  not 
lose  sight  of  the  ivory  pellet  for  a  moment.  None 
of  the  eager  players  watched  it  with  more  interest 
or  attention.  When  the  roulette  game  doses  and  the 
ball  was  placed  in  the  little  depression  at  the  top 
of  the  spindle  the  cat  began  to  enjoy  itself.  He 
knocked  the  ball  off  the  pedestal,  pulled  it  up  to  the 
edge  of  the  wheel  and  sent  it  spinning  round  the  groove. 
He  gave  the  disc  a  whirl  in  the  opposite  direction  and 


268  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

intently  watched  the  wheel  until  the  ball  dropped  into 
a  pocket. 

"  The  cat  then  stopped  the  wheel,  pulled  the  ball  out, 
and  repeated  the  operation. 

"  This  was  continued  for  hours,  and  each  time  the  ball 
and  wheel  were  watched  as  closely  as  if  one  of  the  cat's 
proverbial  nine  lives  depended  on  the  result." 

"A  remarkable  curiosity  of  natural  history  is  re- 
ported from  Swanage;  a  cat  belonging  to  Miss  Vincent,  of 
the  Victoria  Royal  Hotel,  was  the  proud  mother  of  four 
kittens,  which  she  was  rearing  in  a  cow  shed. 

"  One  of  the  servants  on  going  to  the  shed  was  sur- 
prised to  find  a  rat  suckling  with  the  kittens,  the  cat 
nursing  the  rodent  with  as  much  solicitude  as  her  own 
progeny. 

"  The  interloper  was  remarkably  tame,  and  it  had  to 
be  forcibly  removed  from  its  comfortable  nest,  where  it 
appeared  to  be  on  the  best  of  terms  with  its  feline  foster 
mother." 

The  following  is  from  a  correspondent,  a  keen  lover 
of  animals  : — 

"  Some  time  since,  calling  at  one  of  the  bird  shops 
existing  at  that  time  in  Great  Andrew  Street,  Holborn, 
to  make  a  purchase,  we  saw  running  over  the  counters 
three  of  the  prettiest  squirrels  we  had  ever  clapped  eyes 
on,  quite  young  and  very  tame.  Hot  in  pursuit  of  them 
was  a  young  black  and  white  cat  about  six  months  old, 
who  pounced  upon  and  caught  the  little  creatures,  one 
after  the  other,  in  her  mouth. 

"  The  whole  party  was  in  a  state  of  the  greatest  delight 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  269 

and  rushed  helter-skelter  into  a  large  cage,  the  door  of 
which  stood  open — the  owner  of  the  shop  closed  the 
cage,  which  had  wooden  sides  with  wires  front  and 
back. 

"  It  was  most  interesting  to  watch  the  motherly  kind- 
ness of  the  cat  towards  her  unusual  playfellows.  She 
fondled  them  one  after  the  other  ;  licked  them  carefully 
all  over  with  her  rough  tongue,  and  turned  complete 
somersaults  over  their  heads.  They  too  were  full  of 
antics  and  did  much  the  same  with  her  ;  never  have  we 
seen  a  prettier  sight. 

"  Then  they  would  all  lie  down  tired  together  and  curl 
themselves  up,  either  on  the  cat's  back  or  beneath  her 
fore  paws,  which  she  raised  to  receive  them.  This  cat, 
be  it  observed,  is  an  excellent  mouser,  which  makes  the 
above-mentioned  friendship  all  the  more  surprising,  and 
these  gambols  are  of  daily  occurrence. 

"  The  mother  of  the  young  cat  referred  to  had  just 
kittened  when  we  were  there,  and  we  advised  her  owner 
to  associate  them  with  the  squirrels  from  the  first ; 
running  about  together  in  a  house  in  the  country  they 
would  afford  endless  amusement ;  as  for  their  tricks  and 
gambols,  they  would  be  indescribable." 

My  friend,  Mr  W.  Isbell,  of  Clifton,  who  is  not  only 
a  keen  lover  of  all  kinds  of  animals  but  is  skilful  in 
portraying  their  features  in  water-colours  and  oils,  has 
sent  me  the  following  amongst  other  of  his  experiences  : — 

"  When  we  were  living  at  Lydney,  in  Gloucestershire, 
we  had  a  favourite  female  cat  with  one  kitten,  and  as  the 
latter  was  found  dead  with  evidently  the  marks  of  teeth 


270  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

upon  it,  we  supposed  the  mother  had  tired  of  her 
maternal  cares  and  restrictions,  and  considered  the 
shortest  way  to  bring  them  to  an  end  was  to  remove 
the  cause.  She  was  accordingly  strongly  suspected  and 
severely  scolded  for  her  unnatural  behaviour,  but  no 
punishment  was  administered. 

"  Very  shortly  afterwards,  the  cat  made  her  way  into 
the  dining-room,  bearing  in  her  mouth  the  body  of  a 
fine  freshly-killed  stoat,  clearly  for  the  purpose  of 
vindicating  her  maternal  character  by  the  production  of 
the  actual  murderer  of  her  kitten,  whom  she  had  just 
caught  and  despatched. 

"  Some  cats  are  very  fond  of  exhibiting  to  their  owners 
the  results  of  their  prowess.  A  large  neuter  cat  of  ours 
used  frequently  to  catch  chickens  and  young  pullets  and 
bring  them  in  alive  in  his  mouth  to  prove  how  clever  he 
was,  though  they  were  always  taken  from  him  and  restored 
to  the  fowl-yard. 

"  For  some  time  we  had  a  tame  pigeon  we  called 
Anthony,  who  shared  the  kitchen  hearthrug  with  a 
cat  and  her  kitten,  and  if  the  latter  mewed  when  the 
mother  was  absent,  Anthony  would  go  in  search  of  her 
and  drive  her  to  the  kitten  by  sweeping  her  towards  it 
with  his  tail  in  the  way  pigeons  are  observed  to  do  when 
driving  a  hen  to  her  nest." 

I  may  add  a  note  of  my  own  experience  to  the  above. 
When  we  lived  at  Long  Ashton,  in  Somersetshire,  many 
years  since,  we  had  a  large  female  short-haired  black  cat, 
and  our  next  neighbour  was  Farmer  Keedwell,  whose 
barton  adjoined  our  orchards,  and  had  a  number  of  ricks 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  271 

of  hay,  corn,  etc.,  which  probably  afforded  a  fine  hunting 
ground  in  the  way  of  rats  and  mice. 

It  was  a  common  practice  when  I  was  leaving  home  in 
the  mornings  to  find  Topsy  in  the  front  garden  awaiting 
my  departure  with  the  results  of  her  latest  efforts  laid  out 
for  my  approval,  consisting  of  one  or  more  dead  rats ; 
and  this  occurred  on  so  many  occasions  and  always  in 
the  same  place  in  the  garden  which  I  must  pass  on  my 
way  to  the  gate,  that  I  am  sure  it  was  done  for  the 
purpose  of  showing  she  was  doing  her  duty.  This  cat, 
which  by  his  particular  desire  I  left  behind  me  when  my 
friend,  Mr  Thomas  Davy,  took  the  place  off  my  hands, 
was  the  mother  of  the  black  tabby  I  before  mentioned  as 
falling  into  the  whitewash,  as  he  kindly  sent  me  the  latter, 
knowing  what  a  high  opinion  I  entertained  of  her 
mother's  qualities.  One  peculiarity  of  the  daughter  I 
omitted  to  mention  was  her  utter  fearlessness  with  dogs, 
and  she  had  many  hair-breadth  escapes  with  the  number  I 
kept. 

I  remember  one  occasion  when  I  lived  at  Cedar 
Lodge,  Downend,  and  had  twelve  or  fifteen  out  at 
exercise  on  the  lawns.  At  that  time  most  of  them  were 
Dandies,  Skyes,  Fox  Terriers  and  Sheepdogs,  with  a  few 
Bulldogs  and  others.  I  was  alone  with  my  kennelman 
only,  when  suddenly  I  noticed  Lunatic,  the  name  I 
gave  to  the  black  tabby,  sitting  calmly  in  the  centre  of 
one  of  the  lawns  quite  surrounded  with  dogs  ! 

I  was  horrorstruck  for  a  moment,  as  I  knew  if  she 
moved  she  would  be  torn  in  pieces,  so  shouted  to 
Hale  to  call  off  the  dogs  while  I  slowly  approached 


272  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

the  cat,  picked  her  up,  and  shut  her  in  the  green- 
house. 

I  am  pleased  to  say  she  survived  all  her  risks  and 
died  of  old  age  in  her  nineteenth  year,  and  was  well  and 
active  till  a  few  days  before  her  death. 

Mr  James  Kilpatrick  tells  a  wonderful  tale  of  a  cat's 
reasoning  powers  : — 

"I  have  a  cat  that  is  a  great  bird  hunter;  a  few 
days  ago,  while  sitting  in  the  porch  of  my  house,  I 
noticed  her  digging  industriously  in  one  corner  of  the 
garden. 

"  This  was  an  unusual  proceeding,  so  I  kept  my  eyes 
on  her  to  see  what  was  her  object,  and  was  surprised  to 
see  her  drag  out  a  nice  fat  worm  from  the  hole. 

"  She  dug  out  a  couple  more,  and  then  carried  the 
wriggling  bunch  in  her  mouth  to  the  centre  of  the 
garden,  where  she  dropped  them  down  and  glided  back  to 
a  place  of  concealment. 

"In  a  few  minutes  a  group  of  sparrows  spied  the 
tempting  worms  and  swooped  down  on  them  ;  that  was 
the  cat's  chance. 

"  She  pounced  upon  them  like  lightning,  and  nabbed 
one  of  the  party  at  the  first  jump." 

Mrs  Margaret  Peete,  of  Brooklyn,  is  the  legal 
guardian  of  a  cat  named  Pinky,  who  is  nine  years  old, 
and  came  into  her  possession  by  the  will  of  her  late 
mother,  Mrs  Amelia  Van  Vleck,  who  died  some  eight  or 
nine  years  since. 

In  her  will,  Mrs  Van  Vleck  set  aside  200  dollars 
(£40)  per  annum  for  the  maintenance  of  her  cat. 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  273 

Under  the  watchful  eye  and  care  of  her  guardian, 
Pinky  has  grown  sleek  and  fat,  and  has  managed  to 
consume  the  proceeds  of  her  allowance  every  year. 
Tender  chops  and  all  the  delicacies  of  the  season  are 
her  daily  fare. 

I     am     indebted    to    the    Animal's    Friend    for    the 
following  : — 

4 '  A  young  man  at  Eastbourne,  not  yet  twenty-five  years 
of  age,  is  in  the  last  stage  of  slow  decline,  having  been  ill 
for  the  last  seven  years. 

"About  a  year  ago  a  very  small  kitten  entered  the 
house  and  was  turned  out  again,  but  persisted  in  her 
efforts,  and  was  allowed  to  stay.  It  attached  itself  to  the 
invalid  and  became  his  constant  companion.  Shortly 
afterwards  a  copy  of  the  Children's  Supplement  was  sent 
to  him  with  the  picture  of  a  kitten  greatly  resembling 
his  favourite.  His  mother  cut  out  the  picture,  framed 
it,  and  placed  it  on  the  mantelpiece.  The  invalid  was 
much  pleased  with  it,  and  asked  to  have  the  picture 
placed  in  his  coffin  when  he  died. 

"  This  will  be  done,  and  so  this  little  stray  kitten  has 
been  the  means  of  affording  pleasure  and  interest  to  the 
last  days  of  the  invalid,  and  the  cat  has  become  a  valued 
member  of  the  household  with  which  she  was  so 
determined  to  associate  herself." 

The  following  is  from  that  popular  paper,  The  People : — 

4 '  It  is,  of  course,  a  well-known  fact  that  animals  teach 
their  young  what  they  have  learnt  by  experience,  and 
there  can  be  but  little  doubt  that  those  which  have  been 
educated  by  man  will  at  times  endeavour  to  impart  their 

s 


274  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

knowledge  to  their  less  accomplished  brethren,  amongst 
whom  it  frequently  happens  that  apt  pupils  are  found, 
who  become  so  proficient  as  to  surpass  their  teachers 
in  the  arts. 

"  This,  however,  does  not  appear  to  be  the  case  with  the 
kitten  of  the  next-door  neighbour  of  one  of  our  corre- 
spondents, whose  educated  Pete  was  endeavouring  to 
put  it  through  the  facings  of  one  of  his  great  accomplish- 
ments, as  the  following  will  show. 

"  Pete,  the  torn  cat,  was  sitting  at  the  back  door,  side 
by  side  with  the  neighbour's  kitten,  which  he  has  taken 
under  his  protection. 

"Presently  we  saw  him  sit  up  on  his  hind  quarters,  an 
accomplishment  commonly  called  begging,  which  he  has 
been  taught,  and  does  to  perfection. 

"  He  repeated  this  several  times,  all  the  while  looking 
at  the  kitten,  which,  in  its  turn,  was  staring  at  Pete  with 
all  its  might,  until,  probably  frightened  at  such  extra- 
ordinary behaviour,  it  suddenly  escaped  over  the  wall  of 
the  yard. 

"It  is  permissible  to  infer  that  Pete  wanted  to  teach 
the  kitten  his  accomplishment." 

The  AntmaVs  Friend^  that  rightly-named  paper,  is 
responsible  for  the  following  on  the  vanity  of  cats  : — 

"  We  have  heard  the  story  of  the  mare  who  was  being 
ridden  along  Birdcage  Walk  and  nearly  threw  her  rider 
by  stopping  to  look  at  her  reflection  in  a  pool  of 
water. 

"  The  late  Dr  Romanes  tells  an  interesting  story  of 
cats  who  used  to  regard  themselves,  or  their  reflections,  in 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  275 

looking-glasses,  and  at  last  convinced  themselves  of  their 
being  illusions." 

Now,  we  know  that  cats  like  to  be  taken  notice  of,  and 
the  more  attention  they  are  paid  the  more  effusively  patron- 
ising they  become,  until  there  is  scarcely  any  part  of  your 
anatomy  they  do  not  crawl  over  and  test  their  claws  upon. 

A  writer  in  Science  Gossip  says  he  is  satisfied  that  an 
intelligent  cat  of  his,  on  looking  in  the  mirror,  satisfied 
himself  that  it  was  in  some  way  his  own  image. 

"  Even  if  my  deduction  be  wrong,  the  first  part  of  his 
proceedings  was  so  singularly  like  those  in  Dr  Romanes' 
accounts  that  it  seems  a  uniform  law  of  cat  nature  to  act 
in  this  way,  and  so  far  it  may  not  be  altogether  un- 
interesting. I  put  the  cat  on  the  table  in  front  of  a 
small  toilet  mirror.  After  looking  at  his  reflection  for  a 
short  time,  he  went  behind  the  glass,  then  he  returned 
to  his  seat  in  front  and  watched  it  attentively. 

"  After  a  few  moments  he  dashed  rapidly  behind  it ;  he 
again  returned  to  his  place  in  front  of  the  glass,  and  while 
retaining  his  seat  and  keeping  his  eye  fixed  on  the  image, 
he  struck  about  behind  the  glass  with  his  paw  in  different 
directions. 

"  His  next  action  was,  I  think,  suggested  by  seeing  the 
image  apparently  strike  with  its  paw  also. 

"  Keeping  his  seat  and  retaining  his  eyes  fixed  on  the 
image,  he  proceeded  to,  if  I  may  use  the  term,  posture  in 
front  of  the  glass.  He  raised  his  paws  alternately,  licked 
them,  touched  the  glass,  moved  his  head,  etc. 

"  I  have  tried  to  simply  describe  the  facts  and,  so  far  as 
possible,  avoid  drawing  conclusions." 


276  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

The  following  has  been  told  in  confirmation  of  the 
idea  that  cats  have  some  presentiments  of  evil : — 

"  The  morning  before  the  recent  accident  to  H.M. 
Destroyer  Salmon,  that  vessel  was  lying  alongside  of 
H.M.S.  Sturgeon. 

"  Upon  the  former  vessel  dwelt  two  cats,  the  special 
pets  of  the  crew,  and  who  had  never  been  known  to  show 
the  smallest  inclination  to  leave  the  ship. 

"But  on  this  particular  morning,  in  spite  of  being 
chased  by  the  crew  and  worried  by  the  dogs,  the  cats 
never  faltered  in  their  determination  to  get  off  the 
Salmon  and  on  to  the  Sturgeon. 

"And  when  the  first-named  destroyer  had  weighed 
anchor  for  what  was  to  prove  the  disastrous  voyage,  the 
cats  made  one  last  spring  as  the  vessels  separated,  and 
landed  themselves  on  the  deck  of  H.M.S.  Sturgeon." 

The  following  account  of  a  ship- wrecked  cat  appeared 
in  the  Animal's  Friend : — 

"When  walking  home  from  chapel  one  Sunday 
morning,  I  observed  in  front  of  me  a  boy  and  girl,  and 
from  the  arm  of  the  former  something  was  hanging  down 
which  looked  like  a  cat's  tail. 

"  I  overtook  them  and  found  the  boy  had  a  dark 
tabby  cat  in  his  arms,  so  asked  them  about  such  an 
unusual  proceeding  on  a  Sunday  morning. 

"  They  told  me  their  father,  who  was  the  captain  of  a 
vessel,  had  sent  them  to  fetch  the  ship's  cat,  thinking  it 
might  feel  lonely  on  board  while  the  crew  had  all  gone 
on  shore. 

"  It  appeared  that  when  in  the  Indian  Ocean  some 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  277 

months  before  this,  they  had  come  across  a  raft,  from 
which  every  human  being  had  disappeared,  and  the  only 
living  thing  on  it  was  this  cat,  so  she  was  taken  off  by  the 
sailors  and  made  a  great  pet  on  board. 

"  No  doubt,  if  she  had  the  power  of  speech,  that  cat 
could  give  some  thrilling  accounts  of  what  she  went 
through  while  alone  on  that  raft  in  the  ocean." 

We  often  hear  of  animals  saving  the  lives  of  human 
beings,  but  not  nearly  so  often  of  men  who  have  risked 
their  lives  to  save  those  of  animals. 

A  pleasant  sight  was  seen  in  Dublin  some  short  time 
since,  when  a  large  building  was  in  flames. 

All  the  human  beings  had  been  rescued  by  the  exertions 
of  the  firemen,  who  worked  with  their  wonted  devotion 
to  duty,  when  the  attention  of  the  crowd  was  attracted  by 
the  piercing  cries  of  a  cat,  and  on  looking  up  they  saw  a 
large  black  cat  pacing  up  and  down  outside  one  of  the 
upper  windows,  showing  signs  of  the  greatest  distress. 

The  leap  to  the  ground  was  too  great  for  it  to  attempt, 
and  the  flames  inside  the  room  were  burning  fiercely. 
Each  moment  the  people  below  expected  to  see  it  fall  and 
be  dashed  on  the  pavement. 

They  were  greatly  delighted  and  excited  to  see  one  of 
the  gallant  firemen  run  the  fire  escape  across  the  road, 
place  it  against  the  burning  house,  run  up  it,  and  bring 
the  poor  cat  safely  down  in  his  arms. 

A  hearty  round  of  cheering  greeted  the  couple,  as 
the  brave  fireman  and  the  cat  stood  once  more  out  of 
danger. 

We  have  heard  of  boxing  kangaroos  and  pumas,  but 


278  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

it  is  something  quite  out  of  the  common  to  read  of  the 
experiences  of  Mr  Arthur  Head,  F.Z.S.,  as  recounted  in 
Pearson  s  Magazine,  with  a  performing  specimen  of  the 
above-named  great  cat. 

It  seems  that  for  the  last  eight  years  the  artist  in 
question  has  been  engaged  in  drawing  from  nature  the 
eyes  of  every  kind  of  animal  in  the  cause  of  science. 

This  perilous  work  has  been  undertaken  to  assist  Dr 
Lindsay  Johnson  in  a  new  method  of  classifying  the 
animal  kingdom. 

Many  adventures  have  befallen  Mr  Head  in  his 
dealings  with  wild  animals  ;  not  the  least  amusing  of 
which  were  his  experiences  with  a  puma,  thus  related  : — 

"  I  happened  to  hear  that  a  travelling  showman  was 
exhibiting  a  tame  puma  at  Mitcham  Fair,  and  as  I  had 
to  take  every  opportunity  to  obtain  my  drawings,  I 
hastened  off  to  interview  the  beast. 

"  I  found  he  was  advertised  as  a  Champion  Boxing 
Puma  and  that  he  had  been  trained  to  fight  in  the  most 
approved  style. 

"  The  owner  was  most  obliging  when  I  told  him  I 
wanted  to  draw  his  pet's  eyes,  and  fastened  boxing  gloves 
on  his  fore  feet  so  that  he  should  not  scratch  me  with  his 
claws,  and  then  made  him  sit  up  on  some  boxes  in  the 
darkened  tent. 

"Thinking  no  harm  would  come  of  it,  I  put  my 
ophthalmoscope  to  my  eye,  and  began  to  examine  the 
puma's  eyes. 

"  A  moment  later  a  terrific  blow  fell  on  the  side  of 
my  head,  and  I  was  sent  flying  backwards. 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  279 

"  The  brute  thought  I  wanted  to  have  a  boxing  match 
with  him  ;  he  not  unnaturally  associated  the  gloves  with 
fighting,  and  as  soon  as  I  put  my  head  close  to  his,  he 
struck  out. 

"  His  master  scolded  him,  and  when  peace  had  been 
restored  I  made  a  second  attempt,  this  time  on  the 
lookout  for  the  attack. 

"But  I  had  only  just  settled  down  to  work,  when  up 
went  his  paws  again,  and  I  scarcely  dodged  in  time. 

"  Now  the  brute  entered  into  the  fun  with  a  whole 
heart ;  he  rained  his  blows  at  me,  ducking  his  head  in  the 
finest  style  whenever  I  tried  to  capture  it. 

"  His  defence  was  faultless  and  his  right-paw  swing 
terrific. 

0 1  could  not  get  near  him,  try  as  I  might,  and  the 
more  I  tried  the  more  fiercely  he  sparred,  and  so  at  last  I 
owned  myself  beaten. 

"  By  this  time,  a  large  crowd  had  assembled  outside 
the  tent,  hearing  the  noise  of  my  attempt  to  fight  the 
boxing  puma. 

"  So  the  showman  insisted  on  arranging  a  special  per- 
formance for  my  benefit,  and,  setting  me  on  a  throne  of 
honour,  he  opened  his  tent  to  the  crowd,  charging  double 
price  for  admission,  and  reaping  a  rich  harvest  thereby. 

*'  When  I  saw  the  puma  boxing  with  his  master,  I 
realised  what  a  dangerous  feat  I  had  attempted  ! 

"  I  am  still  on  the  lookout  for  a  quiet  puma,  who  will 
allow  me  to  draw  its  eyes  in  the  cause  of  science." 

I  must  apologise  for  including  the  above  amongst  my 
anecdotes,  but  it  so  strongly  reminded  me  of  the  per- 


280  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

formances  of  ordinary  cats  under  similar  circumstances 
that  I  have  sometimes  seen  take  place  with  trained  troupes 
of  those  animals,  that  I  thought  it  might  be  interesting 
although  the  great  cat  in  question  is  not  found  amongst 
its  relations  at  the  shows. 

The  following  account  of  a  Cat  Fair  appeared  in  the 
paper  called  Travel : — 

"  A  very  ancient  fair,  dating  back  a  couple  of  centuries, 
is  held  every  year  at  Sartilly  in  France,  and  the  origin  of 
its  name  is  said  to  be  derived  from  the  circumstance  that 
a  small  farmer  in  the  district,  being  behind  with  his  rent, 
found  himself  unable  to  pay  the  sum  of  a  hundred  francs 
due  to  his  landlord,  and  the  latter  agreed  that  the  cow  of 
the  tenant  should  be  sold  at  the  fair,  and  to  accept  in 
discharge  of  his  claim  the  amount  produced  by  the  sale  of 
the  cow. 

"  The  farmer  accordingly  proceeded  to  the  fair  accom- 
panied by  the  cow  and  his  household  cat. 

"  To  all  inquirers  as  to  the  price  of  the  cow,  he  told 
them  he  wanted  ten  francs  for  her  and  a  hundred 
francs  for  the  cat  and  would  not  sell  one  without  the 
other. 

"  At  last  a  purchaser  was  found  for  the  singular  pair 
of  animals,  and  the  landlord  who  also  attended  the  fair, 
to  learn  for  himself  the  result  of  the  deal,  was  so  amused 
at  the  ingenuity  of  his  tenant,  that  he  accepted  the  ten 
francs  with  good  grace,  and  gave  him  a  receipt  in  full 
discharge  of  all  claims  for  rent.  Ever  since  the  annual 
gathering  has  been  known  as  the  Cat  Fair." 

A  correspondent  of  the  popular  paper,  Our  Cats,  gives 


ANECDOTES  ABOUT  CATS  281 

an  amusing  account  of  the  vagaries  of  a  cat  with  kittens 
in  a  recent  number  : — 

"  I  should  like  to  explain  an  experience  I  had  with  a 
Persian  cat.  Her  first  kittens  were  taken  away  as  they 
were  no  good  ;  the  second  time  she  had  kittens  we  could 
not  trace  them  anywhere,  so  we  watched  her  very  carefully, 
and  at  last  we  heard  a  noise  like  cats  in  the  roof.  We 
then  had  the  roof  examined,  and  found  six  beautiful 
kittens.  She  got  to  this  place  in  a  very  remarkable  way, 
down  a  water-spout." 

In  an  article  on  clever  cats  and  dogs  in  same  paper 
lately  appeared  the  following  : — 

"  My  aunt  had  a  cat  which  the  servants  conspired 
to  kill  because  they  thought  her  a  witch.  On  more  than 
one  occasion  she  drew  her  mistress's  attention  to  dishes, 
which  had  been  broken  and  hidden  by  the  girls,  by  pulling 
at  her  dress,  running  to  the  place  and  mewing.  Once  when 
she  had  a  great  many  kittens  my  aunt  said  to  her,  '  Annie, 
you  have  too  many  kittens,  you  must  give  me  one ' — no 
sooner  said  than  done — Annie  trotted  off,  reappearing  in  a 
few  minutes  with  the  strongest,  which  she  laid  at  my  aunt's 
feet.  '  There,  now  you've  got  it,  keep  it,'  she  said  in  cat 
language,  for  she  would  have  nothing  more  to  do  with  it, 
and  when  put  beside  her,  took  it  in  her  mouth  and  laid  it 
again  before  my  aunt.  Accordingly  it  was  brought  up  on 
the  bottle,  and  grew  into  a  splendid  fellow  in  course  of 
time." 


To  face  page  282. 


CAVIES 


CHAPTER    XXXII 

PERUVIAN    CAVIES 

IT  has  been  asserted  that  Guinea  Pigs  had  no  title  to 
either  of  the  words  forming  their  original  name,  as  they 
are  said  to  have  come  from  Brazil,  not  Guinea,  and  have 
no  relationship  to  any  kind  of  pig. 

In  the  same  way  I  have  not  been  able  to  obtain  proof 
that  any  of  the  above  were  imported  from  Peru,  or  that 
they  are  now  to  be  found  there,  but  rather  that  those  first 
seen  in  this  country  came  from  the  Continent  of  Europe. 

Be  this  as  it  may,  they  have  not  been  called  here  by 
any  other  name  than  Peruvians,  and  will  probably  continue 
to  be  called  so  to  the  end  of  the  chapter. 

When  once  the  difficulty  is  got  over  of  learning  to 
distinguish  the  head  from  the  other  end,  they  are  to  many 
fanciers  the  most  interesting  of  the  three  varieties  of 
Cavies  used  for  exhibition,  and  they  certainly  offer  most 
scope  for  the  display  of  care  and  attention,  in  turning 
them  out  in  show  form,  as  I  should  very  much  doubt  if 
any  variety  of  four-footed  stock  of  the  same  weight  is 
capable  of  growing  a  coat  of  such  length. 

Perhaps  the  nearest  to  approach  it  in  this  respect  is 

285 


286  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

the  Yorkshire  Toy  Terrier,  then  the  Maltese  Terrier,  and 
lastly  the  Skye  Terrier,  the  two  first-named  being  small 
breeds,  occasionally  seen  as  low  in  weight  as  four  pounds, 
but  a  small  Skye  Terrier  would  be  nine  or  ten  pounds  at 
least,  and  most  of  the  winners  at  the  present  day  would 
run  to  twenty  pounds  and  over. 

No  one  should  take  up  this  variety  unless  either  pre- 
pared to  give  them  personal  and  individual  attention,  or 
having  reliable  attendants,  with  requisite  knowledge  to 
enable  them  to  do  so. 

Every  specimen  intended  for  show  purposes  should  be 
gone  over  every  day  ;  the  pigs  soon  become  used  to  be 
handled,  and  will  give  no  trouble  at  all  if  gently  treated. 

Combing  must  not  be  attempted,  as  the  coats  are  very 
lightly  attached  to  the  skin,  and  will  soon  be  much 
injured  by  the  hair  pulled  out  in  the  teeth  of  the  comb. 

I  have  found  the  best  plan  of  dealing  with  them  is  to 
hold  them  on  the  extended  palm  of  the  left  hand,  and 
brush  the  coats  downward  with  an  ordinary  hair  brush 
with  long  bristles  to  it  (not  a  wire  brush,  which  is  apt  to 
have  the  same  effect  as  a  comb),  going  over  it  all  round 
until  it  feels  soft  and  clear  to  the  touch. 

This  in  my  opinion  is  better  than  putting  the  little 
animal  on  a  table  or  shelf,  where  it  is  not  likely  to  keep 
quite  still  during  the  operation,  and  may  possibly  pick  up 
something  in  its  coat ;  the  whole  affair  if  done  daily  need 
not  occupy  more  than  a  few  minutes,  but  it  will  save  a 
deal  of  trouble  afterwards. 

Contrary  to  what  may  be  supposed  from  its  abundant 
coat,  this  variety  is  thought  to  be  the  least  hardy  of  the 


PERUVIAN  CAVIES  287 

family,  and  should  always  be  kept  in  hutches  inside  a  house 
or  shed  of  some  kind,  as  they  are  not  found  able  to  stand 
exposure  to  either  wet  or  cold,  and  would  not  be  likely  to 
do  well,  unless  in  a  thoroughly  protected  position. 

I  consider  the  Peruvians  are  especially  suited  for  ladies 
to  take  up  as  a  hobby,  as  yielding  best  results  to  those  who 
have  infinite  capacity  for  taking  pains,  as  we  know  the 
fair  sex  are  used  to  in  many  of  the  forms  of  handiwork, 
and  such  like,  they  have  made  especially  their  own.  And 
I  am  encouraged  in  this  opinion  by  the  fact  that  many  of 
the  best  specimens  of  the  variety  I  have  ever  seen  have 
either  been  bred  by  ladies,  or  came  from  strains  procured 
from  them. 

As  I  said  in  a  few  introductory  notes,  these  are  in 
comparatively  few  hands,  and  I  think  there  is  room  for 
a  few  enterprising  exhibitors  to  take  up  the  variety  with 
zeal,  and  seek  to  obtain  more  entries  at  the  shows,  which 
will  mean  the  provision  of  a  better  classification  and 
keener  competition  for  the  prizes. 

I  think  more  enthusiasm  has  been  shown  by  the 
fanciers  of  the  other  two  varieties  than  of  this,  and  that 
more  can  be  done  with  it  than  has  hitherto  been  accom- 
plished. 

In  the  matter  of  feeding,  quality  is  not  to  be  sacrificed 
to  quantity,  and,  whatever  the  food  given,  let  it  be  the 
best  and  most  nourishing  of  its  kind  obtainable.  A 
little  sweet  meadow  hay  should  be  given  morning  and 
evening,  if  placed  in  a  little  wire  rack  within  easy  reach 
so  much  the  better,  to  avoid  risk  of  its  being  trodden  on 
and  soiled  ;  I  have  found  a  little  bread  and  milk,  squeezed 


288  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

so  as  not  to  be  wet,  relished  with  the  morning  meal,  and  a 
few  sound  heavy  oats  ;  for  the  mid-day  meal  some  kind  of 
green  food,  of  which  I  prefer  plantains,  water-cress,  carrot 
tops  or  roots,  parsley,  dandelions,  chicory,  comfrey, 
broccoli  or  cauliflower  leaves  to  any  other,  as  I  think  the 
less  of  water-producing  food  given  to  Peruvians  the  better, 
it  being  desirable  their  long  coats  should  be  kept  as  dry 
as  possible. 

For  the  same  reason  I  prefer  longish  straw  for  the 
bedding  of  their  hutches,  to  hay,  peat,  sawdust,  or  other 
materials. 

At  night,  I  advise,  in  addition  to  a  little  hay  as 
mentioned,  a  mixture  of  a  little  bran  with  some  kind  of 
meal,  either  oat,  barley  or  rice,  but  with  an  occasional 
change,  made  moist  enough  to  stick  together  but  not  wet. 

Ringing  the  changes  on  the  various  items  named,  I 
think  the  little  creatures,  if  kept  scrupulously  clean,  which 
I  take  as  a  matter  of  course,  will  be  found  to  do  fairly 
well. 

In  the  matter  of  hutches  or  pens,  this  variety  is  not 
inclined  to  take  much  exercise,  and  each  specimen  intended 
for  show  should  have  a  hutch  to  itself,  on  account  of  the 
propensity  I  mentioned  to  nibble  each  other's  coats,  and 
I  have  found  the  show  pens,  which  can  be  obtained  of  any 
of  the  contractors  for  penning  at  shows,  in  blocks  of 
six  each,  only  requiring  boarding  of  the  same  length  and 
a  little  greater  width  to  stand  them  on,  make  the  best  pens 
for  exhibition  stock. 

I  think  it  best  not  to  attempt  to  show  and  breed  with 
the  same  animals,  at  anyrate  more  particularly  the  sows, 


PERUVIAN   CAW,    SELF — "  CH.    GRAND   DUKE." 
Owner,  W.  A.  Sherlock. 


PERUVIAN   CAVY,    SELF — "  CH.    LILY-WHITE." 
Owner,  S.  Newlove. 


To  face  page  289. 


PERUVIAN  CAVIES  289 

as  you  cannot  expect  to  have  satisfactory  results  if 
you  do. 

The  breeding  stock  should  be  kept  apart  from  the 
others,  and  their  coats  clipped  to  give  them  freedom  and 
comfort.  Of  course  there  is  no  harm,  indeed  it  is  per- 
haps just  as  well  to  win  a  few  prizes  with  those  you 
intend  to  use  for  breeding  purposes,  as  it  will  enable  you 
to  get  good  prices  for  their  progeny,  but  when  you  have 
commenced  breeding  with  them  it  will  be  some  time  before 
they  are  again  fit  for  the  show  pen. 

I  have  not  found  cavies  as  a  rule  much  inclined  for 
drinking,  apparently  finding  sufficient  moisture  in  their 
other  food,  but  a  little  pure  water  put  in  their  reach,  in  a 
shallow  pan  of  some  kind,  may  be  of  service  occasionally. 

Although  they  will  breed  at  a  very  early  age,  I  am 
not  an  advocate,  especially  in  the  case  of  Peruvians,  for 
allowing  either  sex  to  be  used  at  the  stud  under  eight  or 
nine  months. 

The  time  the  does  go  with  young  often  varies,  but 
may  be  taken  at  between  sixty-five  and  seventy-five  days  ; 
I  have  not  known  any  less  than  the  former,  and  very  few 
to  exceed  the  latter. 

The  youngsters  may  remain  with  the  doe  for  four  or 
five  weeks,  during  at  least  part  of  which  time  they  will 
be  found  to  take  some  of  what  they  may  find  in  their 
pen  besides  their  mother's  milk.  Of  course  the  doe  must 
be  well  kept  in  condition  both  before  and  after  the  birth 
of  the  litter,  and  I  am  in  favour  of  lukewarm  mashes, 
bread  and  milk  and  crushed  oats  forming  part  of  the  daily 
bill  of  fare,  which  will  suit  mother  and  offspring.  As 


290  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

soon  as  the  youngsters  are  weaned,  when  the  sexes  should 
be  separated,  they  should  have  as  much  nourishing  food 
as  they  will  eat,  not  waste ,  and  in  this  connection  I  may 
advise  any  novices  amongst  my  readers  to  get  some  of 
the  little  pans  with  turned-in  edges,  which  can  be  obtained 
at  the  shops  where  rabbit  and  cage  birds'  food  stuffs  are 
sold.  As  a  rule  they  prevent  the  food  being  upset, 
and  are  easily  kept  clean,  being  of  glazed  ware,  and  will 
last  for  years. 

I  do  not  think  I  need  say  more  in  a  general  way  about 
the  Peruvians,  except  to  give  my  views  as  to  what  they 
should  be  like. 

The  head  should  be  broad  in  muzzle,  rather  long  and 
Roman-nosed  in  face  from  forehead  to  nose,  the  face  and 
head  almost  covered  with  the  fall  of  hair  over  the  fore- 
head. 

The  eyes  large,  full  and  brilliant,  generally  dark  in  colour, 
though  an  exception  is  sometimes  found  in  pure  white 
specimens  ;  but  I  prefer  a  dark  eye  even  in  such  cases. 

The  body  should  be  long  and  wide,  this  being  im- 
portant as  giving  a  better  carriage  to  the  coat  and  adding 
to  the  grandeur  of  the  specimen. 

The  coat  should  be  as  long  as  possible  everywhere,  at 
the  sides  it  should  at  least  touch  the  ground,  at  the  back 
it  should  lie  on  the  ground  behind  the  animal,  and  at  the 
the  head  it  should  come  well  over  the  face. 

The  texture  of  the  coat  is  very  important,  this  should 
be  soft  and  silky  to  the  touch,  not  hard  and  coarse  as  is 
sometimes  seen. 

The    colour,    while    I  prefer  a  pure  self,    is   not   so 


PERUVIAN   CAVY,    OTHER  THAN   SELF— "  LORD   SULTAN. 
Great  Prize  Winner.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


PERUVIAN  CAVY,   OTHER  THAN   SELF — "  LADY   IRENE." 
Winner  of  many  Prizes,  etc.     Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


To  face  page  291. 


PERUVIAN  CAVIES 


291 


material  in  this  variety  as  in  either  of  the  others,  as  colour 
classification  is  rarely  given  for  them — blacks,  blues,  greys, 
whites,  yellows,  or  combinations  of  some  of  them,  are 
perhaps  those  most  often  seen,  preferred  by  me  in  the 
order  named. 

Condition  and  general  appearance  ;  former  firm  and 
plump  without  being  fat,  and  latter  with  well-furnished 
coat,  free  from  mats  or  tangles. 

Size  as  large  as  possible  without  coarseness.  The 
following  is  my  own  idea  as  to  : — 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
PERUVIAN  CAVIES 


Head  and  covering  thereto 

Eyes       ..... 

Body  and  shape 

Coat  as  to  length 

Coat  as  to  texture    . 

Colour  ..... 

Condition  and  general  appearance 

Size 


io  Points 
10       ,, 
20       „ 

15       » 

20         „ 

5       » 

10         „ 
10         „ 

Total     100  Points 


CHAPTER    XXXIII 

ABYSSINIAN    CAVIES 

I  HAVE  never  been  able  to  get  reliable  information  that 
this  variety  has  any  real  connection  with  Abyssinia,  nor 
any  reason  for  its  being  so  called,  as  it  is  believed  to 
be,  like  its  brethren,  a  native  of  Brazil,  but  has  been 
acclimatised  and  established  as  a  distinct  variety  for  some 
years  in  this  and  other  European  countries. 

It  is  thought  to  be  the  hardiest  of  the  family, 
although  I  think  all  cavies  should  be  kept  in  some  kind 
of  house  or  building,  as  they  are  very  susceptible  to  wet 
or  cold,  artificial  heat  is  rarely  necessary  unless  in  very 
severe  weather. 

Size  is  not  nearly  so  important  with  Abyssinians  as 
with  the  other  varieties  ;  indeed,  the  best  I  have  ever  bred 
or  seen  have  not  been  the  largest,  but  of  course,  if  the 
other  points  can  be  obtained  to  anything  approaching 
perfection,  a  large  specimen  would  be  preferable  to  a 
small  one. 

The  most  difficult  feature  to  procure  is  a  really  harsh 
coat,  so  many  failing  in  this  respect,  and  although  many 
means  of  artificially  improving  an  otherwise  defective 

292 


ABYSSINIAN   CAVY— UCH.    BOSCO." 
Well-known  Winner.     Owner,  J.  Thompson. 


ABYSSINIAN   CAVY — "  CH.   HULL  LADY." 
Owner,  J.  Thompson. 


To  face  page  293. 


ABYSSINIAN  CAVIES  293 

specimen  have  been  adopted,  I  think  it  may  be  said  of 
them,  as  we  are  told  about  poets,  "  they  must  be  born,  not 
made." 

Only  secondary  to  the  texture  of  the  coat  comes  the 
question  of  rosettes,  which,  for  the  information  of  any 
novices  amongst  my  readers,  I  may  explain,  are  little 
circular  stars  of  hair,  each  distinct  and  prominent,  about 
the  size  of  a  florin,  or  larger,  and  dotted  about  all  over 
the  little  animals'  head  and  body,  giving  a  rumpled  and 
hair-brushed-the-wrong-way  effect,  and  with  short  bristly 
hair  about  the  face  and  lips,  making  it  look  what  it 
certainly  is  not,  a  most  savage  and  ferocious  little  brute. 

Although  I  think  there  are  more  breeders  of  these 
than  of  Peruvians,  partly  because  they  do  not  require  so 
much  space  and  are  less  trouble  to  keep  in  order,  I  con- 
sider they  are  prejudiced  by  being  at  the  great  majority 
of  shows  thrown  into  competition  with  them,  it  being  so 
often  that  the  classification  is  merely  "  Rough  and 
Smooth  Cavies,"  when  a  Peruvian  stands  a  good  chance 
of  being  put  over  an  Abyssinian,  unless  the  judge  is  a 'keen 
fancier  of  cavies,  as  well  as  of  the  other  descriptions  of 
<c  Fur  "  coming  under  his  judicial  functions. 

Questions  of  colour  are,  as  I  said  about  the  Peruvians, 
not  deemed  so  important  in  this  variety  ;  for  my  own 
part,  I  prefer  pure  self  or  tortoiseshell  to  any  other 
shades,  but,  as  the  right  sort  of  coat  and  a  good  distribu- 
tion of  rosettes  are  so  much  the  hardest  points  to  obtain, 
the  best-coloured  specimens  would  have  to  stand  back 
unless  they  were  also  good  in  those  respects.  This 
variety  requires  little  preparation  or  grooming,  it  being 


294  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

sufficient  to  use  an  ordinary  hair  brush  to  brush  the  coats 
all  over,  then  going  through  each  of  the  rosettes  with  a 
small  short-haired  brush,  a  tooth  brush  for  choice. 

In  all  kinds  of  fancy  stock,  although  a  chance  bred 
specimen  may  turn  out  a  "  star  "  it  is  the  exception  and 
not  the  rule,  and  I  am  sure  it  is  the  wiser  course,  and 
cheapest  in  the  end,  for  any  intending  fanciers  to  start 
with  well-bred  animals. 

I  by  no  means  advise,  unless  money  is  no  object  and 
it  is  wished  to  quickly  "  gain  the  top  of  the  tree  "  to  give 
long  prices  for  noted  winners,  but  to  commence  by  buy- 
ing two  or  three  well-bred  sows  from  some  reliable 
breeder  of  reputation,  and  sending  them  to  some  stud 
boar  known  as  the  sire  of  good  stock,  or,  if  preferred, 
getting  the  young  sows  from  one  breeder  and  a  young 
boar  from  another,  as  I  am  not  an  advocate  for  inbreeding 
with  any  kind  of  stock  where  possible  to  avoid  it. 

By  this  method,  with  patience  and  perseverance,  there 
is  every  prospect  of  breeding  something  worth  showing. 
One  advantage  with  this  variety,  as  I  said  of  Dutch 
Rabbits,  is  that  it  can  be  ascertained  when  the  litter  is 
quite  young  which  of  them  are  good  enough  to  be  worth 
keeping,  so  that  a  number  of  "  wastrels  "  can  be  got  rid 
of  to  the  advantage  of  those  retained  and  reduction  of 
expenses  for  keep. 

I  am  not  supposing  prize-winners  would  be  bought 
in  the  way  mentioned  above,  but  if  they  are  well  bred 
from  pedigree  stock,  and  themselves  typical,  there  is 
•every  likelihood  of  their  breeding  something  good. 

In  selection,  I  should  choose  sows  possessing  plenty 


ABYSSINIAN   CAVY—"  FLORENCE  SECOND." 
Winner  numerous  Prizes,  etc.     Owner,  J.  Thompson. 


ABYSSINIAN   CAVY — "LAUREL  LEOPOLD. 
Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


To  face  page  295. 


ABYSSINIAN  CAVIES  295 

of  size  and  type ;  and  a  boar  with  those  points  strongly 
developed  which  are  most  deficient  in  the  sows,  such  as 
well-moustached  face,  bright  or  well-distributed  colours, 
or  abundance  of  rosettes  ;  but  rely  on  hardness  of  coat 
and  size,  and  brilliancy  of  the  eyes,  as  features  in  the 
sows  likely  to  be  transmitted  to  their  progeny. 

What  I  said  as  to  the  age  of  those  intended  to  be  used 
for  breeding  purposes,  and  the  mode  of  feeding  both 
adults  and  young,  when  dealing  with  Peruvians,  will,  I 
think,  be  equally  applicable  to  this  variety,  and  need  not  be 
repeated  here. 

I  advocated  straw  as  bedding  for  the  former,  but  I 
think  peat  moss  as  good  as  anything  for  Abyssinians  ;  I 
am  not  in  favour  of  it  for  Peruvians,  because  when  it  gets 
wet  I  fancy  it  has  a  tendency  to  stain  the  ends  of  their 
long  coat,  and  render  them  unsightly,  more  especially  those 
wholly  white,  or  with  yellow  and  white,  or  with  either  of 
those  shades  as  the  main  features  in  their  colours. 

Abyssinians  are  usually  active,  bright  little  creatures 
and  should  have  roomy  hutches  ;  a  number  of  young 
boars  or  sows  may  be  run  together  if  they  are  found 
to  agree,  but  not  mixed  sexes  after  five  or  six  weeks 
old. 

In  genial  weather  they  will  greatly  enjoy  a  few  hours 
in  a  wirecl-in  pen  without  bottom,  only  sides  and  tops  to  it, 
placed  on  a  grass  plot,  and  they  will  amuse  themselves  by 
nibbling  the  grass  as  if  cut  with  a  lawn  mower,  and  be 
all  the  better  for  the  change  and  fresh  air. 

With  these,  as  with  all  other  live  stock,  it  is  most 
important  to  have  regular  times  of  feeding  and  stick  to 


296  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

them  ;  to  give  as  much  at  a  time  as  it  is  found  they  will 
consume,  and  frequently  change  some  items  in  the 
dietary,  however  palatable  they  may  be. 

When  once  the  correct  texture  of  coat  has  been 
obtained,  and  a  good  supply  of  rosettes,  breeders  can 
please  themselves  as  to  the  colours  they  may  wish  to  go 
in  for,  which  can  be  done  chiefly  by  care  and  selection 
in  mating,  and  very  interesting  results  often  arise. 

I  think  perhaps  I  have  said  enough  about  this  variety 
in  a  general  way,  and  will  now  give  my  ideas  as  to  their 
general  appearance  : — 

The  head  should  be  large,  broad  and  strong,  well 
furnished  with  short  harsh  hair  of  as  standing-off  character 
as  possible,  and  with  the  same  sort  on  forehead,  between 
eyes,  over  lips  and  under  chin.  The  eyes  should  be  bold, 
prominent  and  shiny  ;  the  ears  rather  large  than  small, 
with  a  downward  droop  to  their  edges. 

The  body  should  be  broad  and  deep  in  shoulders  and 
chest,  somewhat  cobby  and  square  in  hind  quarters. 

The  coat  should  be  hard  and  wiry  all  over  the  body, 
with  as  many  rosettes  as  possible,  each  complete  in  itself 
and  distinctly  formed. 

The  condition  firm  and  plump  without  fat,  which  is 
apt  to  cause  softness  of  coat,  and  general  appearance 
fierce,  bristling  and  bellicose  to  a  ludicrous  degree. 

The  colour  is  better  if  Self,  Tortoiseshell  or  Tortoise- 
shell  and  White,  but  a  specimen  well  resetted  and  with  a 
harsh  coat  will  have  a  good  chance,  whatever  its  colour. 

Size  is  not  so  important  as  quality  ;  perhaps  most  of 
the  best  pigs  ever  seen  have  not  exceeded  three  pounds 


ABYSSINIAN  CAVIES 


297 


in  weight,  but  I  remember  two  brothers  I  bred  and  took 
many  prizes  with,  almost  exact  counterparts  of  each  other, 
who  were  about  that  weight. 

STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING 
ABYSSINIAN  CAVIES 


Head  and  furnishing  .... 

Body  and  shape  .... 

Coat  as  to  texture        .... 

Rosettes,  number  and  form 

Condition  and  appearance    . 

Colour        ...... 

Size,  about  two  and  a  half  to  three  pounds 


io  Points 

10  ,, 

30  » 

20  „ 

!5  » 

IO  ,, 

5  » 


Total     100  Points 


CHAPTER   XXXIV 

BOLIVIAN    OR    ENGLISH    CAVIES 

THESE,  which  are  far  more  often  called  English,  or  even 
merely  Smooth  Cavies,  are,  strange  to  say,  the  most 
correctly  called  of  the  three  main  divisions  of  cavies.  For 
while  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  Peruvians  came  from 
Peru,  almost  certain  that  the  Abyssinians  did  not  come 
from  Abyssinia  or  even  any  part  of  the  African 
Continent,  there  is  every  probability  that  this  variety 
did  come  from  Bolivia,  and  possibly  the  Peruvians  and 
Abyssinians  also.  Bolivia  is  a  country  in  South  America, 
bounded  on  the  north  and  east  by  Brazil,  and  is  quite 
adjacent  to  the  districts  from  which  many  naturalists 
and  travellers  assert  all  the  Cavy  family  originally 
came. 

I  mention  the  above  for  what  it  is  worth,  we  know 
that  "  a  rose  by  any  other  name  will  smell  as  sweet,"  and 
the  little  playmates  of  my  childhood,  then  universally 
known  as  Guinea  Pigs,  have  not  only  acquired  aristocratic 
relations  in  the  elegant  long-coated  Peruvians  and  the 
fierce-looking,  resetted  Abyssinians,  but  have  joined  the 
aristocratic  clique  by  the  fashionable  practice  of  changing 

298 


BOLIVIAN   OR   SMOOTH   CAVY,   SELF— "  CH.   WHAT'S  WANTED.' 
Owners,  Messrs  Tee  and  Hanslip. 


BOLIVIAN   OR   SMOOTH    CAVY,   SELF — "  CH.    DAISY." 
Owner,  F.  W.  Walker. 


Tojacepage  298. 


BOLIVIAN  OR  ENGLISH  CAVIES        299 

their  old  misnomer  to  that  of  "  Bolivian  Cavies,"  almost 
equalling  in  its  corresponding  qualities  the  well-known 
names  of  "  Messopotamia "  or  the  "  poultry,  potatoes, 
prunes  and  prisms"  in  Dickens's  delightful  Little 
Dorrit. 

I  believe  I  should  speak  within  the  mark  if  I  said 
there  are  more  of  this  variety  in  the  possession  of  breeders 
and  exhibitors  than  of  the  other  two  varieties  put  together, 
not  only  because  they  are  very  little  trouble  to  keep,  but 
from  their  greater  variations  in  colour,  and  their  several 
subdivisions,  upon  which  I  propose  to  say  a  few  words, 
taking  them  roughly  as,  Self,  Agouti,  Tortoiseshell, 
Tortoiseshell  and  White,  Dutch-marked,  and  Any  Other 
Varieties. 


BOLIVIAN  SELF-COLOURED  CAVIES 

These,  as  far  as  I  am  aware,  were  unknown  in  the 
early  days  of  the  fancy,  and  probably  in  the  land  of  their 
origin  were  seldom  or  ever  seen,  and  the  early 
pioneers  of  the  variety  obtained  prices  that  would  make 
some  of  our  forebears  rub  their  eyes  if  they  heard  of  such 
figures  for  a  guinea  pig.  I  think  Blacks,  Whites,  Reds, 
Creams  and  Browns  are  the  Self  most  often  seen,  the  first 
three  named  especially  so. 

Of  course,  it  is  important  there  should  not  be  even  a 
hair  of  any  other  shade  than  the  body  colour,  and  this 
was  for  a  long  time  the  difficulty  breeders  had  to  contend 
with. 


300  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

Many  a  litter  have  I  bred  in  the  early  days,  and  found 
to  my  dismay,  that  the  Blacks  had  a  few  red  hairs  ;  the 
Whites  with  a  small  black  spot  or  smudge  on  the  forehead, 
or  perhaps  one  of  the  feet ;  the  Reds  develop  a  white 
star  on  the  face  ;  or  the  Creams  and  Browns  have  a  dash 
of  yellow  somewhere. 

But  breeders  have  a  much  easier  task  before  them  now, 
as  there  are  plenty  of  the  assured  strains  of  the  different 
Self  colours  from  which  to  work,  and  in  consequence 
the  youngsters  can  be  obtained  on  very  reasonable 
terms. 

I  sent  out  some  time  since  a  large  batch  of  breeding 
stock — Bolivian  Blacks,  Reds  and  Agoutis,  and  some 
Abyssinians — to  a  nephew  in  Kansas, U.S. A.,  from  which  he 
has  bred  hundreds  of  well-bred  youngsters,  and  I  have 
since  had  many  letters  from  him,  saying  that  he  has  been 
able  to  "  sweep  the  board  "  at  all  the  shows  in  his  part  of 
the  country,  and  had  sold  hundreds  of  his  stock  to  other 
fanciers. 

I  shall  give  with  this  sketch  some  illustrations  of 
well-known  winners  amongst  Selfs  which  will  give  an  idea 
of  their  appearance. 

I  will  give  a  brief  description  of  the  several  points 
desired  in  a  perfect  specimen,  which  will  apply  to  all  the 
Bolivian  specimens,  as  the  subdivisions  I  have  referred  to 
are  mainly  questions  of  colour. 

The  head  should  be  large,  without  "stop,"  the  line 
from  the  forehead  to  the  nose  with  an  outward  curve, 
forming  what  is  commonly  known  as  a  Roman  nose. 

The     ears     turned     over     at     upper     edge,     fairly 


SMOOTH,   SELF — "  CH.    BLACK   BESS." 
Owner,  A.  Foster. 


To  face  page  300. 


SMOOTH,  SELF— "BLACK  BOY. 
Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


BOLIVIAN  OR  ENGLISH  CAVIES        301 

large,  but  with  a  graceful  carriage  and  nearly  bare 
of  hair. 

The  eyes  almost  round,  with  slightly  oval  eyelids,  large- 
sized  and  brilliant  in  expression. 

The  neck  so  short  as  almost  to  be  absorbed  in  the  deep 
wide  shoulders. 

The  back  broad,  well  filled  out  and  substantial,  with 
hardly  perceptible  drop  between  the  shoulders  and  latter 
end. 

The  hind  quarters  strong  and  well  formed. 

The  coat  should  be  plentiful,  but  short  and  glossy  in 
appearance  and  soft  to  the  feel. 

The  condition  should  be  hard  and  firm,  not  fat, 
and  the  appearance  dignified,  stately  and  contented- 
looking. 

The  colour  according  to  the  subdivision  in  which  they 
are  entered,  without  intermixture  of  the  shades. 

The  size  as  large  as  obtainable  without  coarseness. 


BOLIVIAN  OR  ENGLISH  AGOUTI  CAVIES 

The  Agoutis  may  be  subdivided  into  golden  and 
grey,  some  are  in  favour  of  one,  others  of  the  other 
shade. 

For  my  part,  I  like  them  both  very  much  and  have 
had  many  of  each  sort ;  but  I  expect  you  would  see  ten 
of  the  former  to  one  of  the  latter. 

The  golden  should  be  a  rich  golden  yellow  under- 
neath, with  black  ticking  all  over  the  head,  body  and 


302  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

even  legs  and  feet,  the  belly  being  usually  of  the  golden 
yellow  only. 

Great  advances  have  been  made  in  the  last  fourteen 
years — when  I  think  the  first  of  this  colour  made  their 
appearance — not  only  in  the  colour  and  ticking,  but  in  the 
size  ;  the  forerunners  of  the  beautiful  little  creatures  now 
seen  being  mean  and  snipy  in  heads,  mixed  and  blurred  in 
colour,  and  wanting  in  size  and  dignity. 

The  greys  should  be  a  beautiful  silvery  grey  under 
coat,  with  black  tickings  throughout  in  the  same  way  as 
the  golden,  making  much  the  same  shade  as  is  associated 
with  a  little  animal  many  of  my  readers  may  have  seen, 
known  as  the  ichneumon,  and  which  has  the  reputation  of 
being  a  terrible  foe  to  alligators  by  eating  their  eggs  and 
young  ones  when  it  can  meet  with  either.  Both  the 
Agoutis  are  very  popular,  and  at  shows  where  they  have 
not  a  class  to  themselves,  a  good  specimen  is  often  a  hard 
nut  to  crack  in  a  class  of  mixed  colours  of  Smooth 
cavies  or  in  Any  Other  Variety  classes,  as  they  have  quite 
a  distinctive  style  of  their  own,  and  command  attention 
from  all  genuine  cavy  fanciers. 

BOLIVIAN  OR  ENGLISH  TORTOISESHELL  CAVIES 

The  Tortoiseshell,  as  may  be  gathered  from  its  name, 
should  have  but  three  colours — red,  black  and  yellow  ; 
but  anyone  looking  at  a  class  of  them  would  be  surprised 
to  see  how  many  changes  may  be  rung  upon  them. 

The  several  marks  or  patches  making  up  the  shade 
should  join  but  not  mix,  and  the  more  separate  marks 


SMOOTH   GOLDEN   AGOUTI   CAVY — "  CH.    KING   OF  THE  YUKON.''' 
Owners,  Messrs  Wright  and  Ford. 


SMOOTH   GOLDEN   AGOUTI   CAVY— "SISTER   LAURA." 
Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


To  face  page  302 


SMOOTH   GREY  AGOUTI   CAVY — "  GREYFRIAR." 
Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


SMOOTH   TORTOISESHELL  CAVY — "  CH.    SUREFOOT.' 
Owner,  J.  Thompson. 


To  face  page  302. 


BOLIVIAN  OR  ENGLISH  CAVIES         303 

there  are  the  better  the  specimen  will  be,  at  anyrate  in 
colour,  and  some  breeders  assert  that  a  downright  good 
Tortoiseshell  is  as  hard  to  produce  as  any  kind  of  cavy  of 
the  Bolivian  tribe. 

I  cannot  say  that  the  breeders  of  Tortoiseshells  have 
had  much  encouragement  in  their  hobby,  as  when  with 
infinite  pains  they  have  produced  a  fair  specimen  it  has 
often  been  thrown  out,  on  the  ground  that  it  did  not 
come  up  to  the  ideal  fixed  by  the  National  Cavy  Club,  by 
having  slight  tints  of  colours  other  than  the  three  named. 

I  do  not  mean  white,  for  that  of  course  must  be 
tabooed  for  the  sake  of  the  Tortoiseshell  and  Whites,  which 
have  an  extensive  following,  and  are  often  very  beautiful 
little  creatures.  But  such  shades  as  brown  or  brindle, 
which  sufficiently  harmonise,  if  present  in  a  slight  degree 
only,  with  the  other  colours,  so  as  not  to  spoil  the  general 
effect  of  the  whole. 

No  doubt  perfectly-marked  Tortoiseshells  are  rare,  and 
when  seen  should  be  made  a  note  of ;  but  with  the  vast 
army  of  breeders  at  work  in  this  and  other  countries  I 
am  not  at  all  in  despair  about  them,  indeed  I  have  had 
some  more  than  fair  specimens  before  me  to  judge  in 
1902,  and  hope  their  owners  were  satisfied  that,  their 
merits  -  received  due  recognition,  as  only  those  who  have 
attempted  to  breed  them  can  appreciate  the  difficulties  to 
be  overcome  and  the  number  of  litters  which  have  to  be 
produced  before  one  appears  which  is  likely  to  fill  the 
eye  of  the  judge.  Knowing  what  has  been  accomplished 
in  the  last  fifteen  years,  I  am  not  despondent  of  seeing 
the  Tortoiseshell  problem  solved. 


3o4  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

BOLIVIAN  OR  ENGLISH  TORTOISESHELL  AND  WHITE 
CAVIES 

I  believe  if  the  public,  apart  from  cavy  fanciers  or 
those  interested  in  them  as  breeders  or  exhibitors,  were 
asked  which  colour  they  admired  most  of  all  in  the 
Bolivian  or  English  classes,  the  majority  would  declare  in 
favour  of  this  variety,  as  they  are  often  very  pleasing  in 
appearance. 

I  have  little  or  no  doubt  they  are  easier  to  breed  of 
good  quality  than  either  Tortoiseshells  or  Agoutis,  but 
they  are  regarded  with  so  much  favour  by  many  judges 
that  a  good  tricolour  is  very  often  seen  in  the  money  in' 
mixed  classes. 

Although,  according  to  the  standard,  three  colours  only 
are  supposed  to  be  allowed,  many  I  think  will  be  found 
with  four,  namely  red,  black,  yellow,  or  brown,  and 
white,  and  I  am  not  at  all  sure  this  is  not  as  they  should 
be,  as  blacks,  reds,  yellows  and  browns  are  certainly 
found  in  true  tortoiseshell,  from  which  they  derive  the 
first  part  of  their  name,  and  the  same  holds  good  in 
respect  to  tortoiseshell  cats,  whether  long  or  short 
haired. 

I  suppose  an  ideal  specimen  should  have  a  consider- 
able preponderance  of  tortoiseshell  to  a  limited  amount  of 
white  in  its  markings,  but  although  the  patches  of  each 
join,  they  should  be  clear  and  distinct,  without  inter- 
mixture. 

Say  a  tortoiseshell  head  with  white  blaze  and  chin, 
white  chest,  one  or  more  white  patches  on  body  ;  belly, 


SMOOTH    TORTOISESHELL   AND   WHITE   CAVY— "  CH.    LADY   SARAH.' 
Owner,  J.  H.  Lilley. 


SMOOTH   TORTOISESHELL  AND   WHITE  CAVY— "  CH.    ELEGANCE. 
Owner,  J.  S.  James. 


To  face  page  304. 


SMOOTH   TORTOISESHELL  CAVY — "  SIR   LUCIUS." 
Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


SMOOTH   TORTOISESHELL   AND   WHITE  CAVY — "  CH.   GALTEE    MORE." 
Owners.  Messrs  Bousfield  Brothers. 


To  face  page  304. 


BOLIVIAN  OR  ENGLISH  CAVIES         305 

legs  and  feet  partially  white ;  ears  dark,  and  general 
effect  and  mingling  of  the  colours  forming  a  harmonious 
whole. 

I  think  the  original  " guinea  pigs"  were  more  like 
this  variety  than  any  other  colour,  and  this  probably 
arose  from  the  indiscriminate  mating  amongst  them  in 
a  wild  state  of  nature. 

Probably  those  who  had  no  experience  of  cavy  breeding 
might  suppose  it  would  be  easy  enough  to  produce  this 
variety  with  a  white  or  only  partially-marked  boar  and  a 
tortoiseshell  sow,  but  I  am  assured  by  others,  in  confirma- 
tion of  my  own  experience,  that  the  best  specimens  have' 
not  been  produced  in  this  way,  as  it  is  found  in  the 
majority  of  cases  that  too  great  preponderance  of  the 
colour  of  the  one  or  the  other  of  the  parents  in  the  colour 
of  the  offspring  is  the  result. 

Of  course  it  is  advisable,  whatever  materials  are  used, 
to  ascertain  the  antecedents  of  the  pigs  to  be  mated,  and, 
if  they  come  of  well-marked  stock,  as,  even  if  closely 
related  in  blood,  the  effects  of  this  may  be  corrected  by 
an  after  outcross,  securing  the  advantages  of  inherited 
markings  and  avoiding  the  risk  of  loss  of  constitution  by 
the  inbreeding. 

As  I  have  said  elsewhere  in  these  sketches,  I 
am  not  in  favour  of  inbreeding  as  a  rule,  in  any 
kind  of  live  stock  breeding,  but  sometimes  it  has  to  be 
adopted  where  some  marked  characteristic  must  be  pre- 
served, even  if  it  is  to  be  corrected  by  outcrossing 
afterwards. 

I  think  the  variety  under  notice  has  had  considerable 

u 


306  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

success  of  late  years,  and  I  shall  give  illustrations  of  some 
of  those  which  have  taken  honours  under  many  of  our 
judges,  which  will  convey  a  better  impression  of  what 
Tortoiseshell  and  Whites  should  be  like  than  any  more 
lengthy  descriptions  of  the  variety  on  my  part ;  but  I 
think  it  offers  a  wide  field  for  experiment  on  the  part  of 
breeders,  as  to  the  best  method  of  producing  the  desired 
combination  cf  colours  in  order  to  introduce  more  prize- 
winners at  our  shows. 


BOLIVIAN  OR  ENGLISH  DUTCH-MARKED  CAVIES 

This  is  another  variety  of  comparatively  recent  date, 
and  one  entailing  patience  and  skill  on(the  part  of  breeders  ; 
but  I  think  their  efforts  have  met  with  much  success,  as 
I  have  been  surprised  to  see  how  many  very  fairly-marked 
specimens  have  appeared  in  the  pens. 

Of  course  the  ideal  pig  is  one  marked  in  the  same 
way  as  a  Dutch  Rabbit  should  be,  but  although  what  is 
commonly  known  as  "  a  Sabbath  day's  journey  "  would 
have  to  be  taken  before  meeting  with  one  correct  in  all 
points,  there  is  no  doubt  that  wonderful  progress  has  been 
made  towards  the  desired  result. 

Colour  must  always  be  a  matter  of  taste,  and  although, 
as  far  as  I  have  owned  or  seen,  the  best  Dutch-marked 
specimens  have  hitherto  been  red  with  white  markings, 
there  is  no  reason  why  blacks  or  yellows  should  not  be 
produced  equally  good. 

And  as  I  think  the  best  Dutch  Rabbits  I  have  ever 


*1P 


AW  J£W£i 


SMOOTH   CAVY,   ANY  OTHER   COLOUR — "  LORD   PIEBALD." 
Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


SMOOTH   CAVY,   ANY   OTHER   COLOUR—"  LORD   BLAZE." 
Owner,  C.  H.  Lane. 


To  face  page  306 


BOLIVIAN  OR  ENGLISH  CAVIES         307 

seen  have  been  black  with  white  markings,  so  I  should 
prefer  cavies  with  the  same  colours,  to  any  others,  if  the 
markings  were  correctly  placed. 

As  I  said  of  the  last  variety,  so  I  may  repeat  of  this, 
that  it  affords  scope  for  experimental  breeding  ;  although 
on  the  ground  of  like  producing  like,  I  should  advise 
having  one,  if  not  both,  of  the  parents  with  a  marked 
tendency  to  Dutch  mode  of  colouring  ;  but  if  not  obtain- 
able on  both  sides,  choose  it  with  the  dam  as  likely  to 
produce  type  and  shape,  leaving  depth  of  colour,  etc.,  to 
the  sire. 

The  illustrations  will  give  fair  representations  of  some 
of  the  best  specimens  I  have  been  able  to  secure,  to  show 
what  has  been  achieved  in  the  production  of  prize-winners 
in  this  variety  already. 


BOLIVIAN  OR  ENGLISH  CAVIES  ANY  OTHER  VARIETY 

As  I  have  in  the  foregoing  sketches  lightly  touched 
on  most  of  the  varieties  usually  provided  with  classes  even 
at  the  larger  shows,  all  the  rest  must  come  into  this 
category. 

Perhaps  with  the  exception  of  Brindles,  which  for 
some  reason  or  other  do  not  seem  to  be  holding  the  place 
in  public  favour  accorded  to  them  some  years  since,  the 
others  may  be  almost  termed  the  misfits  of  those  already 
noticed. 

It  is  difficult  if  not  impossible  to  summarise  all  the 
various  types  seen  in  Any  Other  Variety  classes,  as  they  are 


308  RABBITS,  CATS,  AND  CAVIES 

made  up  of  a  mixture  of  every  kind  of  colour  and 
marking  known  in  cavydom. 

As  in  other  kinds  of  live  stock,  it  is  always  a  very 
unsatisfactory  class  for  judges  and  exhibitors  ;  in  the  case 
of  the  former  it  is  best  to  look  for  the  winners  amongst 
those  that  approach  the  nearest  to  the  type  to  which  they 
seem  to  belong  ;  and  with  the  latter  to  refrain  from 
entering  at  all,  unless  the  specimen,  irrespective  of  colour, 
is  well  shaped  and  typical  as  a  cavy,  and  has  some  dis- 
tinctive character  in  its  markings,  as  piebald,  skewbald,  all 
white  with  a  black,  red  or  yellow  head,  or  some  unusual 
feature  of  that  kind  likely  to  draw  attention  to  its  merits, 
such  as  they  may  be.  I  have  seen  a  red  or  a  black  with 
a  white  blaze  only,  win  in  such  a  class,  indeed  have 
more  than  once  taken  prizes  with  such  a  specimen,  but 
entering  in  this  class  must  necessarily  be  more  of  a 
lottery  than  even  the  usual  vicissitudes  of  an  exhibitor's 
life. 

As  I  have  already  given  a  brief  description  of  the 
several  qualities  desired  to  obtain  a  near  approach  to  per- 
fection with  these  little  animals,  and  my  ideas  about  the 
several  subdivisions  into  which  they  are  sometimes  classi- 
fied, and  have  already  mentioned  in  the  case  of  the 
Peruvians  what  I  have  found  suitable  in  the  way  of  food, 
housing  and  mating,  which  will  mainly  apply  to  all  the 
Cavy  family,  I  need  only  add  a  scale  giving  my  views 
as  to  the  value  of  the  several  points  suggested  in  these 
slight  sketches  of  what  has  become  such  a  popular 
section  of  the  fancy  with  a  great  number  of  people  at 
home  and  abroad. 


' 


: 
v 

SMOOTH   DUTCH-MARKED  CAVY— "  CH.    KLONDYKE." 
Owner,  J.  Blackburn- 


SMOOTH   DUTCH-MARKED   CAVY — "  CH.    MONARCH." 
Owner,  J.  H.  Lilley. 


To  face  page  308. 


BOLIVIAN  OR  ENGLISH  CAVIES 


309 


STANDARD  OF  EXCELLENCE  FOR  JUDGING  BOLIVIAN 
OR  ENGLISH  CAVIES 


Head 

Eyes  .... 

Coat  .... 

Shape 

Colour 

Condition  and  appearance 

Size 


10  Points 

10  „ 

20  „ 

'5  » 

20  „ 

10  „ 

15  » 


Total     100  Points 


INDEX 


ABYSSINIAN  Cats,  203 
„  Cavies,  292 

Agouti  Cavies,  301 

Anecdotes  about  Cats,  226 

Angora  Rabbits,  88 

Any  Other  Colour  Long-haired  Cats,  159 
, ,  Short-haired  Cats,  2 1 8 

„  Smooth  Cavies,  307 

BELGIAN  Hare  Rabbits,  30 
Black  Cats,  Long-haired,  134 

,,        ,,     Short-haired,  161 

,,     and  Tan  Rabbits,  48 

, ,     and  White  Cats,  Short-haired,  1 86 
Blue  Cats,  Long-haired,  137 

„        ,,     Short-haired,  166 

„     and  Tan  Rabbits,  49 
Bolivian  Cavies,  Self-coloured,  299 
,,         Agouti,  301 
,,        Any  Other  Coloured, 

307 

,,         Dutch-marked,  306 
,,         Tortoiseshell,  302 
,,        Tortoiseshell      and 

White,  304 


CATS, 


Anecdotes  about,  226 
Long-haired,  Any  Other  Colour, 

159 

Black,  134 
,,  Blue,  137 

,,  Brown  Tabby,  144 

,,  Chinchilla,  142 

,,  Cream   -    coloured, 

139 

,,  Orange  Tabby,  150 

„  Red  Tabby,  150 

,,  Silver  Tabby,  147 

,,  Smoke,  153 

,,  Tortoiseshell,  156 

White,  131 


Cats,  Short-haired,  Abyssinian,  203 
„  ,,  Any  Other  Colour, 

218 

,,  ,,  Black,  161 

,,  ,,  Black   and    White, 

1 86 

„  Blue,  1 66 

„  Brown  Tabby,  175 

„  Indian,  211 

,,  Manx,  199 

,,  Mexican     Hairless, 

209 
„  ,,  Narrow     -     striped 

Tabby,  181 

,,  ,,  Red  Tabby,  169 

,,  ,,  Siamese,  205 

,,  ,,  Silver  Tabby,  172 

5j  •  >  Smoke,  184 

,,  ,,  Spotted  Tabby,  178 

,»  ,,  Tabby    and  White, 

191 

»  »  Tortoiseshell,  194 

»  >?  5>  and 

White,  196 

,,  >,  White,  163 

»  »  .,         and   Black, 

187 

„     Wild,  213 
Cavies,  Abyssinian,  292 
„        Bolivian  Smooth,  298 
„         Peruvian,  285 
Concluding  Remarks  about  Rabbits,  1 18 

DUTCH-MARKED  Cavies,  306 
„        Rabbits,  83 

ENGLISH  Rabbits,  93 

FEW  Words  on  Cats  in  General,  220 
Flemish  Giant  Rabbits,  72 

HIMALAYAN  Rabbits  77 


312 


INDEX 


JAPANESE  Rabbits,  58 

INDIAN  Cats,  211 
Introductory,  3 

LONG-HAIRED  Cats,  131 
Lop-eared  Rabbits,  21 

MANX  Cats,  199 

Mexican  Hairless  Cats,  209 

NARROW-STRIPED  Tabby  Cats,  181 

PATAGONIAN  Rabbits,  53 
Peruvian  Cavies,  285 
Polish  Rabbits,  62 

RABBITS,  Angora,  88 
„       Belgian  Hare,  30 
Black  and  Tan,  48 
Blue  and  Tan,  49 
Dutch,  83 
English,  93 
Flemish  Giants,  72 
Himalayan,  77 
Japanese,  58 
Lop-eared,  21 
Patagonian,  53 
Polish,  62 
Siberian,  68 
Silver  Brown,  113 
„      Fawn,  1 08 
„      Grey,  98 
Red  Tabby  Long-haired  Cats,  150 
„         Short-haired  Cats,  169 


SHORT-HAIRED  Cats,  161 
Siamese  Cats,  205 
Siberian  Rabbits,  68 
Silver  Brown  Rabbits,  113 

„     Fawn  Rabbits,  108 

,,     Grey  Rabbits,  98 

,,     Tabby  Long-haired  Cats,  147 

,,          „       Short-haired  Cats,  172 
Smoke  Long-haired  Cats,  153 

„       Short-haired  Cats,  184 
Spotted  Tabby  Short-haired  Cats,  178 

TABBY,  Long-haired,  Brown,  144 
„  „  Orange,  150 

„  Red,  150 

„  ,,  Silver,  147 

„      Short-haired,  Brown,  175 
„  „  Narrow  -  striped, 

181 

„  „  Red,  169 

»  »  Silver,  172 

„  „  Spotted,  178 

„  „  and  White,  191 

Tortoiseshell  Bolivian  Cavies,  298 
„  Long-haired  Cats,  156 

,,  Short-haired  Cats,  194 

,,  and    White    Short-haired 

Cats,  196 

, ,  and  White  Bolivian  Cavies, 

304 

WHITE  and  Black  Short-haired  Cats, 

187 

,,        Long-haired  Cats,  131 
„        Short-haired  Cats,  163 

Wild  Cats,  British,  213 


THE    END 


Colston  &•  Coy.  Limited,  Printers,  Edinburgh. 


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